East London store hit with zero hygiene rating

An East London corner shop has been slammed by inspectors for having meat for sale that was past its sell by date and leaving fresh milk unrefrigerated.

A report on Dennis Wines and Spirits also said the shop was crammed with food and drinks on the floor, making it difficult to walk around. The report gave the shop a hygiene rating of zero – the worst possible score on a scale of zero to five.

An inspector from Newham Council visited Dennis Wine and Spirits in the Royal Docks last year.

In their report, they said the East London off licence had a huge number of issues that meant it could not be considered safe enough to sell food to customers. The inspector repeatedly mentioned that food had been left out past its sell by date, and added that milk was left to go off outside the fridge.

The inspector also said the shop was not being kept properly clean.

The report said that there were, “Some foods past their use-by date found in the chilled display cabinet.

“Cans of drinks stored on the aisles – store room cluttered … Some pre-packed meats found in the chilled display cabinet that were past their use-by date. Fresh milk left out unrefrigerated (possible risk of contamination).”

The inspector added the shop also had: “Flaking wall paint on the shop floor [and] aisles narrow due to drinks and food stored.”

The council official added the shop’s staff were not properly trained in handling food safely, and that the staff toilet was covered in dirt. They also said there was no system in place for managing food safely, which the off licence would have to start using to be in line with hygiene laws. The inspector said the temperature of where food was stored – including the shop’s fridges – was not being recorded, making food in the shop potentially unsafe.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has attempted to contact Dennis Wine and Spirits for comment.