As the weekend is here you may be considering going out for a meal and we’re on hand to inform you of the establishments in Blaenau Gwent with zero hygiene ratings.

The Food Hygiene Ratings (FSA) makes it hygiene ratings public, establishments are scored from 0 – meaning urgent improvement is necessary or they may risk closure to 5 – meaning standards are excellent.

The inspections are carried out by the local authority and findings are updated on the FSA website whenever there is a new inspection. 

The Food Hygiene Rating Act 2013 became law in Wales on 4 March 2013, including: including pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels, takeaways, schools, hospitals, canteens, care homes and corner shops.

In Blaenau Gwent two establishments currently have zero hygiene ratings:

Istanbul Kebab:

Istanbul Kebab in Ebbw Vale a takeaway/ sandwich shop was last inspected on 22 March 2022.

South Wales Argus: O hygiene rating for Istanbul Kebab picture: Food Standards AgencyO hygiene rating for Istanbul Kebab picture: Food Standards Agency (Image: Food Standards Agency)

O hygiene rating for Istanbul Kebab picture: Food Standards Agency

The food safety officer found that urgent improvement is necessary in the management of food safety and improvement was necessary in their hygienic food handling and cleanliness and condition of the facilities/ building.

Istanbul Kebab were contacted for a comment.

Bank House Nursing Home:

Last inspected on 7 July 2022 the food safety officer flagged up that major improvement was necessary in two areas in the Ebbw Vale care home.

Major improvement was deemed necessary across the management of food safety and cleanliness and condition of facilities/ building.

Improvement was also deemed necessary in the hygiene food handling including preparation, cooking, re–heating, cooling and storage.

Tom Bursnall, from Bank House Nursing home, said: “They came in last month – the rating was a mistake.

“Our care home is over two floors – the kitchen is on the ground floor and have mini kitchens upstairs.

“The mini kitchen is just for teas and coffees – when the person came round they saw egg shells and assumed we were cooking up there and therefore assumed we needed separate hand basins.

“The eggs shells were there because they had been cooked down stairs and were being de shelled up stairs.

“Once we got issued with the 0 we advised them of their error, they came round the week before last and were happy with what they saw – we should be getting an updated inspection in the next couple of weeks.

“We were very frustrated that they wouldn’t immediately amend the 0, we have put basins upstairs anyway to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

A further 25 business across Blaenau Gwent scored 1 – meaning major improvement is necessary.