February 11, 2020 4.32 pm This story is over 48 months old

Hygiene turnaround: Lincoln takeaway cuts a slice of success

Top marks!

A pizza takeaway shop in Lincoln is celebrating turning a One into a Five out of Five food hygiene rating.

Papa’s Pizza, off Trelawney Crescent in the West Ermine, spent around £4,000 on refurbishing the shop and the owner even took a new hygiene course.

Masih Shabani, 36, blamed the problems on the ageing building and the previous owner, who he claims earned it a bad reputation.

Papa’s Pizza is in the Ermine West area of Lincoln. Photo: Connor Creaghan for The Lincolnite

The five rating means that it is now “very good.” Photo: Connor Creaghan for The Lincolnite

He was keen to show The Lincolnite, which reported the previous rating, around the refreshed space and to sample one of his most popular dishes.

Since the council inspectors slapped his shop with a low rating, he has replaced the flooring, windows, equipment, lighting, repaired and repainted the walls.

It took a lot of work but now Papa’s Pizza has earned a five out of five hygiene rating and Masih is much happier.

Masih in action making a meat feast pizza. Photo: Connor Creaghan for The Lincolnite

Papa’s Pizza has spent £4,000 refurbishing the shop. Photo: Connor Creaghan for The Lincolnite

He told The Lincolnite: “When I took over the takeaway, we were just getting one or two orders a day so I’ve had to work hard building up a customer base with my wife.

“The food hygiene rating really damaged my business, I have lost lots of customers because of it. We never had a customer complain about getting ill from the food.

“I was very happy to see the council come back after a couple of months and give us a five out of five hygiene rating for the first time ever.”

Deliveroo and Just Eat both list Papa’s Pizza on their websites, where the takeaway has four out of five and five out of six ratings respectively.

The meat feast pizza got the thumbs up from the team in the newsroom.