Sutton Sweet Centre in Sutton Coldfield handed zero food hygiene rating as report demands more than 60 improvements

The new venue in Hill Village Road received a highly-critical report but owner says works required are now 'pretty much completed'

A café in Sutton Coldfield has been handed a zero hygiene rating and a scathing food inspection report following a visit. Sutton Sweet Centre in Hill Village Road was given the rating, meaning ‘urgent improvement’ was necessary, following an inspection on July 23.

Issues were raised across a number of areas, with the most critical finding that ‘staff showed a complete lack of understanding of the basics of food hygiene’. Birmingham City Council ’s food safety officer found issues in a number of key areas, from the cleanliness of the premises, how food was stored, hand washing, how to keep food safe and the illegal disposal of rubbish.

More than 60 issues were listed in a schedule of works to be addressed. They were grouped into three categories – food hygiene and safety, structure – the physical state of the premises and items within it - and the management of the business.

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The business opened in May and proved popular. Some 34 issues were raised about the Sutton Coldfield venue's food hygiene and safety. They included dirty cleaning equipment, with no separate mop for cleaning the toilet, uncovered food in fridges and freezers, staff not washing their hands at all during the inspector’s visit, food stored in tins ‘which can cause chemical food poisoning’ and a need to clean food containers.

The city council inspector found the chest freezer was crammed, meaning its temperature was minus 9C, well above the minus 18C needed to keep frozen food safe. Dirty cardboard boxes were used to store food. Staff ate in the kitchen an allergen cross-contact risk and cooking equipment was stored on the floor, it was found.

The venue was unable to correctly identify allergens. Some 14 must be identified by law to customers from nuts to milk, cereals with gluten to eggs and fish. Sutton Sweet Centre was banned from serving customers with allergies. And it was told to display a sign indicating the ban, 'where customers can see it'.

A further 23 concerns were raised on the state of the café-cum-restaurant. They included a need to clean floors, fridge and freezer interiors, handwash basins, gas hobs and the ventilation canopy and fan. Some surfaces needed to be cleaned and ‘sealed’ like bare wood shelving and pallets, the floor in the planetary mixer area of the kitchen and the plasterboard in the sink area. And ‘pest proofing’ was required for gaps around a rear door and ventilation duct near a rear storeroom.

Four management issues were raised, the most critical the staffs’ ‘complete lack of understanding of the basics of food hygiene’. This was evidenced by a lack of hand washing and another food hygiene request that unwashed salad/herbs and raw meats should be kept away from, and below, cooked or ready to eat foods. As a consequence all staff who handle or prepare ‘open high-risk food’ had to have Level 2 Food Hygiene Training and have certificates to show it

The business had no documented food safety management system – such as the Safer Food Better Business for Caterers. None were on site, a system was not implemented and staff did not understand it, the inspector said.

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High-risk foods, like chicken and raw meat, had to be cooked to 75C or above and recorded as reaching those temperatures. And the final management demand was cleaning records only be completed ‘once they have been carried out correctly’.

The schedule of works raised concerns about the labelling of small pots of sauces for sale with incorrect labels. It said there had been a complaint about ‘alleged undercooked lamb samosas’, with the owners blaming the supplier saying they had been changed. They were asked to give details of the original supplier so they could be checked.

A large amount of rubbish was found in the premises’ rear garden, which the restaurant owner said was down to the landlord. But the inspector said it included waste from the business, some not in lidded bins – which is required. There was evidence, too, of rubbish being burned, which the inspector said was 'illegal'.

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Arjun Nijjar, from Sutton Sweet Centre, said: “What happened at the time was me and my brother were visiting family in Canada. When the guy came there was no management in.

“We were still getting building work done. The paperwork was at my house. The [schedule of works] is pretty much completed now. We have fixed up all the flooring and walls which needed to be wipeable. All the kitchen stuff is all sorted as well.

“The staff have all got their level 2 hygiene [training/certificates] done and allergen training too. We take full responsibility for everything because it’s our business at the end of the day. A reinspection is booked in and expected in the next 28 days. It should be better.”