The owner of a County Durham shop who invested his “life savings” into the business has branded a new two-star hygiene rating as “unfair”. 

The Consett Mini Market, on Middle Street, was told improvement is necessary in the hygienic food handling at the site after inspectors visited on October 14. 

The business only opened its new location for the first time last month, having taken over a fire-ravaged premises and transforming it with new fridges, lighting, flooring, and other amenities. 

Owner David Pulman got the keys to the new shop on October 3, just days before the hygiene inspection was carried out - having been negotiating the unit for about 18 months. 

He admitted that there were some issues at the site at the time of the hygiene visit - but feels that a two-star rating was “unfair” and that the business should’ve been given a three, meaning the site was “generally satisfactory”.

John Benson, health protection manager at Durham County Council, said the authority had since revisited this premises and confirmed the majority of works have since been completed.

David told The Northern Echo there were issues with some "out of date" items found in the store - but claimed that if the inspector had "given us 30 minutes" rather than "going straight in", then the items "wouldn't have even been in the shop". 

He said: "I’m unhappy with the inspector and I do feel it is unfair. The inspector has since been out three times and said everything was good, and that they could see much improvement.”

The Consett Mini Market was previously based around eight doors down along the same street, which David said had a five-star hygiene rating for around 10 years.

He continued: “Now, we have been given a two-star rating, because we are in the process of moving the business over to what was a fire damaged shop. We invested our life savings into it.”

David added that everything in the store is “basically brand new” following the refurbishment.

“We have got a brand new floor, new lighting, a new ceiling, and the best fridges on the market that you can buy,” he said. 

“I will be putting in an appeal against the hygiene rating and am waiting for a revisit.”

While the food hygiene inspection at the site on October 14 did say improvement was necessary in hygienic food handling, the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building were rated as “very good”.

Meanwhile, the management of food safety, which looks at the systems in place to check food sold is safe to eat and staff food safety knowledge, was ranked as “generally satisfactory”.

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John Benson, health protection manager at Durham County Council, said: “Our inspectors must base their report on the condition of the premises when they arrive. 

“However, if an owner is unhappy with a rating issued under the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, there are steps they can take, including appealing the score given or paying for a rescore inspection.

“I can confirm that we have revisited this premises and the majority of works have been completed.”