THESE takeaways and food retailers in Darlington were given the lowest food safety rating in their last hygiene inspection.

Out of hundreds of businesses in the town, 12 were given a score of one, and in some cases zero, on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) hygiene rating system.

The process grades businesses on their level of hygiene, cleanliness, and knowledge of safe practices when handling food.

According to the FSA website, businesses with a five star rating have hygiene standards that “are very good” while businesses scoring one or zero need “major” or “urgent improvement”.

Businesses are assessed by how high-risk they are which determines how often they need to be inspected. For example, a business handling raw meat on a daily basis requires more routine inspections than a retailer handling packaged or dry goods.

At each inspection, a food safety officer comments on the level of hygiene under three categories: hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and management of food safety.

At the end of January 2019, 755 Darlington premises were rated 'five star' while nine were given 'one star' and three were given 'zero'.

The Northern Echo:

Here are the lowest-rated food businesses in Darlington:

Alpachino’s Pizzeria, Gladstone Street

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

The owner of Alpachino’s declined to comment.

Amritsar, Risdale Street

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Good

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Amritsar declined to comment.

Big Al’s Snack Attack, Allington Way

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Good

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Big Al’s Snack Attack were unavailable for comment

Branksome Booze, Whitby Way

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Good

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Branksome Booze were unavailable for comment

Deli Stop, Crown Street

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

The owner of Deli Stop said: “The book wasn’t here when he did the inspection. I gave it to the lady to fill out with the temperatures and opening times and details like that, but it wasn’t filled out properly.

“It’s my fault because we didn’t have a book to fill out. When I bring the book back he will come back and we will get more stars.”

Golden Gate Fish Bar, Yarm Road

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Golden Gate have been recently inspected and are awaiting a new rating to be published.

Ribbon Ltd, Gladstone Street

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Good

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Ribbon Ltd declined to comment.

Spice of Life, Yarm Road

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Generally satisfactory

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Improvement necessary

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Spice of Life declined to comment

Star Pizza, Victoria Road

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Improvement necessary

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Star Pizza did not wish to comment

Veno’s Pizzeria, Yarm Road

The Northern Echo:

Score: One

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Generally satisfactory

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

The owner of Veno’s Pizzeria said: “We scored a one because I was on holiday during inspection and the health and safety book was at my house, so the inspector had to give my business a low score because there was no record.

“I plan on going back to the inspector to ask him to come back and inspect because we used to be a five star. We have everything prepared for him to give us more stars.

“My business is very clean, I don’t mind if my customers want to come in and take a look at the kitchen because it’s very clean.”

Bigger Better Burgers, Whessoe Road

The Northern Echo:

Score: Zero

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Major improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Major improvement necessary

Management of food safety – Major improvement necessary

Bigger Better Burgers could not be reached for comment.

China House, Alverton Drive

The Northern Echo:

Score: Zero

Inspector’s Comments:

Hygienic food handling – Major improvement necessary

Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building – Major improvement necessary

Management of food safety – Urgent improvement necessary

China House declined to comment.

Councillor Chris McEwan, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for Economy and Regeneration.

The Northern Echo:

“We in Darlington Borough Council take food hygiene extremely seriously. A lot of people will say 'what does the council do for us?' and it is the Environmental Health teams and smaller services working behind the scenes keeping us safe. We have an excellent team working hard in Darlington and the vast majority of eateries in town are grade four or five.

“There is a very small number that have scored low ratings and we, as a council, would encourage establishments that aren’t scoring high to work with us because our goal continues to be to champion food hygiene for local residents when they are eating out.

“I would add that the food hygiene scores are accessible online and would ask local residents to put due regard to them. I’d also take this opportunity to mention restaurant week, which will be from February 25, as it is a great opportunity for local people and visitors to try some of the great restaurants that we have in this town, with many offering a starter or a main for £10 or less”