Kirklee C-store with one-star hygiene rating claims to make improvement

A grocery store in Kirklees, that has been told it needs to make major improvements in its food hygiene standards, claims to have made major improvements. 

According to local reports, Hecky Stores, on Cemetery Road, Heckmondwike in Kirklees, was given an overall one-star food hygiene rating, following the Food Standards Agency’s latest inspection on October 20, 2022. 

Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus, a spokesperson for Hecky Stores said: “We’ve made a lot of improvements. It’s just because it’s an old building. It was mostly building work, plaster and things like that. 

“We’re just a retail shop really. We’ve done a lot of changes.” 

The spokesperson said it expects another visit from the agency’s inspector in the coming weeks. The convenience store was told major improvement is necessary. 

Hecky Stores was rated generally satisfactory its hygienic food handling, which includes with food preparation, cooking, cooling and storage. In the cleanliness of facilities category, it was rated as ‘improvements necessary’. For management of food safety, Hecky Stores was told ‘major improvement necessary’. 

The shop received a ‘three’ rating – meaning ‘generally satisfactory’ – at its last inspection in June 2018. 

Inspectors go anywhere from restaurants, pubs and cafes to takeaways, food vans, canteens and stalls. Hundreds of new inspections by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) take place across the country each day. Other locations for food hygiene inspections include hotels, supermarkets and other food shops, schools, hospitals and care homes.