Discount retail chain The Range has been told to make 'major improvements' following a food hygiene inspection at one of its stores. Inspectors gave The Range a hygiene rating of one following a visit in December to the company's site in Station Road retail park, Sutton-in-Ashfield.
The store is known for selling leisure goods and gardening equipment. In a report, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) stated the management of food safety at The Range required "major improvement", adding that cleanliness and hygienic food handling was also in need of change.
However, The Range was not the only business in the retail park to receive a somewhat sub-standard rating. A Home Bargains store received a rating of three after it was inspected.
The inspection also took place in December, 2022. Their standards were found to be "generally satisfactory."
While not as detrimental as one rating, Home Bargain sites in Mansfield, Langley Mill, Retford, Beeston, Nottingham all currently hold a "very good" rating of five. The FSA rates restaurants, pubs, cafes and other food shops on a scale of zero to five.
Often businesses will be visited more frequently by the FSA if they are considered "high risk." Those stores that receive low scores will usually be visited every six months.
The FSA states that improvements must be made "urgently" when poor standards of hygiene are reported in the interest of public protection. In some cases, the FSA will stop parts of a business from carrying out its operations or close stores down completely until it is safe to recommence.
Part of the FSA hygiene rating scheme reads: "Businesses which are given low ratings must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards. The local authority food safety officer has several enforcement options available as well as giving advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.
"The food safety officer will also tell the business how quickly these improvements must be made and this will depend on the type of issue that needs to be addressed. If the officer finds a business’s hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to public health, when food may be unsafe to eat, the officer must act to ensure consumers are protected.
"This could result in stopping part of the business or closing it down completely until it is safe to recommence."
The Range and Home Bargains have been approached for comment.
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