November 19, 2019 9.49 am This story is over 52 months old

“This wasn’t an issue before”: Owner of popular pub defends poor hygiene rating

Customers rave about the ‘excellent food’
The White Swan in Torksey has been hit with a low food hygiene rating.

A Lincoln pub has been hit with a low food hygiene rating but the owner claims that it’s due to building problems that have never been an issue before.

The White Swan in Torksey has been given a one out of five hygiene rating by health inspectors and told to make major improvements to its building.

It was also given a ‘generally satisfactory’ rating for hygienic food handling and for management of food safety but still rated poorly overall.

Paul Hardy, the pub’s manager, told The Lincolnite: “We have serious issues with damp and mould in both the kitchen and the cellar.

“We were away and the kitchen was closed for refurbishment when the inspection happened.

“They told us to paint over the mould on the walls but it feels like a waste of money and a short-term solution for the cellar.

“It is the first time that we have had this new food hygiene inspector and she highlighted problems which have never been an issue before.”

The pub’s owner also said the rating was partly down to their new butcher, who had not been dating the food.

On TripAdvisor and Facebook, the White Swan has above a four out of five rating from customers who rave about the “excellent food.”