Food Standards Agency: Crab & Lobster Thirsk has three-star

The Crab & Lobster in Asenby, near Thirsk, received a three-star hygiene rating on August 20 this year - where inspectors found that 'hygienic food handling', 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building' and 'management of food safety' were all at a 'satisfactory' standard. 

During the most recent inspection, it was noted that 'Hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage' was rated three, while 'Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building (including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control) to enable good food hygiene' was also handed a three rating. 

Finally, 'system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future' were also handed a three-star rating.

Crab and Lobster (Image: GOOGLE MAPS) This inspection from the Food Standards Agency comes after it was hit by a one-star hygiene rating in December 2023 - which saw it handed a "major improvement necessary" in cleanliness and condition. 

At the time, the restaurant explained that one of three of their kitchens was undergoing repair work after "structural challenges" on the old building. 

Speaking in March this year, when the one-star hygiene rating was revealed, manager Matthew Robertson assured their customers that this was the result of subsidence in the kitchen, which was being repaired.

He said at the time: "The challenge we have had over the past few weeks is subsidence in the kitchen area. 

"We repaired the first subsidence event but then it happened again so we moved our pastry kitchen into our main kitchen and have kept our bookings manageable to enable us to offer the high level of food quality you would expect from us.  

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"As luck would have it our inspection occurred whilst we were in the transformation of three kitchens to the two we are currently using resulting in a low score, due to structural and building challenges. 

"The food preparation and safety scored satisfactory to good."

He added: "The good news is that the renovation work is almost complete and the EHO team have been working with us to review the rating as soon as we are ready which we expect to be next week as they are aware that the structural damage report may have adverse publicity on our food offering which has not been affected. 

"The trials and tribulations of operating out of an 18th Century Inn that we still  love even though she gives us challenges from time to time!"