North Yorkshire village corner shop given one-star rating

A village corner shop in North Yorkshire has been given one star rating and has been told to do major improvements.

According to local reports, Charlie’s Bargain Centre in Liverton Mines has been told that a major improvement is necessary after food safety officers carried out an inspection at the shop on February 15. The inspection report highlights several “noticeably dirty” areas, issues with an “inoperable” staff toilet, and concerns over several issues raised at previous inspections that had yet to be sorted.

A spokesperson for the venue said it was “working with the council.”

It’s not the first time Charlie’s Bargain Centre has been given a one-star rating, with the store being given the same hygiene stamp following an inspection several years ago, as reported here in January 2022.

In the most recent inspection, floors throughout the venue were among the dirty areas, with the walls, in places, light switches, electrical sockets, and cabling to equipment also highlighted as areas of concern. Refrigerators and freezers throughout were also dirty, including internal surfaces, door seals, handles, and other touchpoints.

Inspectors found that the floor in the retail area was damaged and consisted of bare concrete in places. Several shelves in the retail area were also damaged and consisted of bare wood in places. Other issues included the damaged lid of one of the chest freezers and several “rusted” shelves in the fridges, another matter that had been brought to the firm’s attention on a number of occasions, according to the report.

The flush mechanism to the staff toilet was not working – something that had been raised previously. However, staff explained that the toilet in the first floor flat was available for use by staff, which in the short term, would be acceptable “as long as staff would have unrestricted access while the food business is trading.”

Meanwhile, the report said it was “concerning” that several contraventions previously identified had yet to be sorted. In terms of allergen information, pre-packed food for direct sale did not have the required labelling. For example, the business was selling enclosed bags of mix-up sweets, which required additional labelling.

“A revisit will be undertaken to review this matter, if you are found to be still non-compliant with the above regulations further action including the service of a legal notice will be considered,” the report explained.

A health and safety concern was also noted during the visit, due to a “considerable” build-up of water on the floor near the chest freezer, presenting a slip risk.