Northumberland pub restaurant is given another ZERO hygiene rating

The dismal zero grade given to The Anchor Inn Kitchen in Cheviot Street, Wooler, means urgent improvement is necessary.

It was given the minimum score after an assessment on June 16, but also received a zero rating following an inspection in November last year.

The ratings are awarded by the Food Standards Agency, which visits eateries across the country to judge how clean and well-run they are. Many pass with flying colours, but others are told they need to make major improvements or run the risk of being shut down.

These ratings provide a snapshot of an establishment's standards at the time of an inspection. If hygiene is very good and the business fully complies with the law, five is the top of the scale and the highest score they can achieve. They must do well in three areas:

• How hygienically the food is handled;

• The physical condition of the business;

• How the business manages ways of keeping food safe, looking at processes, training and systems to ensure good hygiene is maintained.

A zero indicates failures across all three areas.

Overall in Northumberland, of the 633 restaurants, cafes and canteens with ratings, 564 (89%) have a five-star ranking and just one – The Anchor Inn Kitchen – has a zero rating.