ENVIRONMENTAL bosses in York have released a report showing why a hotel in the city scored only one out of five for hygiene.

Holiday Inn York in Tadcaster Road received the rating earlier this summer, becoming the only one of the company's hotels in England or Wales with such a low rating.

City of York Council refused at the time to release the inspectors' report, but has now done so.

It shows that inspectors' concerns included:

  • raw meat being stored in an area meant for ready-to-eat food
  • staff were unaware of the 'two-stage clean' process after handling raw meat
  • over-labelling made stock rotation confusing
  • staff were unaware of salad washing procedures l broken plastic containers in the fridge posed a contamination risk
  • black mould was found on a freezer door
  • several areas needed cleaning, including washbasins, stained ceilings and the joints of floors and ceilings
  • cooked salmon and anchovies were in an area meant for raw fish only, posing a cross-contamination risk
  • cooked turkey and pastrami past their use-by date were found
  • a guest's medication being stored in the food chiller, posing a risk of cross-contamination

Hotel manager Chris Freer said earlier this summer that since the inspection, inspectors had revisited the hotel and the Environmental Health Officer had said they were pleased with changes implemented as a result.

York Press:

The hotel has formally requested a further inspection, and it is awaiting an updated rating.

Mr Freer said previously: “We appreciate very much the help and support that the office have given. I am confident that this guidance and our willingness to cooperate have helped us to improve our management system to an excellent standard.”