Concerns raised about Dorset takeaway after 'rodents seen'

U Takeaway, based on East Street in Blandford Forum, is a Chinese takeaway which has operated since May 2019.

The restaurant, which has a 4.3 out of 5 rating from Google reviews, has had customers describe it as the 'best Chinese in town' with 'food always fresh, nice owners and decent prices'.

U Takeaway was previously given a four rating at its last two inspections on August 8, 2019 and April 14, 2021.

But the restaurant was visited by an inspector on Wednesday, May 19 who assessed its hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building as well as its management of food safety - and given a one rating.

What ratings U Takeaway were given following the one rating food hygiene inspection. Picture: Food Standards Agency

Its hygienic food handling and cleanliness and condition of facilities and building were both rated as ‘generally satisfactory’ but an inspector found ‘major improvement necessary’ for management of food safety.

Management of food safety is defined by the Food Standards Agency as ‘system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.’

A spokesman for the takeaway said that ‘massive improvements’ have already been made to the takeaway and claimed the rats were actually mice. He added pest control have visited the premises to address the rodent issue.

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What was written in food hygiene report

The full report, seen by Dorset Echo, stated problems with the management of food safety including storage of wet chicken as well as rats in the area.

It reads: “At time of visit, your SFBB pack (Safer Food, Better Business) still wasn’t completed as advised to do so on April 14, 2021. This needs to be done daily.

“At time of visit, boxes of wet chicken were stored outside and preparation outside being carried out. This must be done inside.

“There were several uncovered open foods that required to go in (the) fridge.

“The outside yard still needs tidying and the FBO (food business operator) had seen sights of rats and put down bait.”

Takeaway 'took action straight away' and has requested follow-up inspection

Outside U Takeaway in Blandford Forum town centre. Picture: The Local Data Company

Speaking to Dorset Echo following the inspection, a spokesman for the takeaway claimed that the boxes of wet chicken were due to a recent delivery and that they were moved from the floor ‘straight away’.

He also claimed the rats were actually mice – but that the venue ‘took action straight away’ and called pest control to investigate the issue. He added that no rodents were seen inside the premises.

He said: “We have made some massive improvements since the report that we had on May 19, we had just had a delivery when said person saw the wet chicken in boxes out on the floor and we moved this straight away.

“The situation with the ‘rats’ were actually mice and none were to be found in the business, and I took action straight away and called pests control which came out within a couple of days of calling them.

“They put out bait and are due back this month and should be making fewer visits as problem has now been sorted and kept on top of.”

He said he was arranging for a new inspection in the coming weeks in a bid to improve the rating.