December 7, 2020 4.55 pm This story is over 39 months old

Lincoln cafe keen to bounce back from low hygiene rating

The owner explained why he received the low score
The Bookstop Cafe on Steep Hill in Lincoln.

A Lincoln cafe has been hit with a low food hygiene rating of 1/5 but believes its score will soon rise back up again.

The Bookstop Cafe on Steep Hill was inspected by City of Lincoln Council on October 29, but the latest rating was only published over the weekend.

The rating states that there is major improvement necessary in the ‘management of food safety’, but ‘hygienic food handling’ was given a score of good.

The ‘cleanliness and condition of facilities and building’ was described as generally satisfactory and the city council is currently working with the cafe after its latest rating.

Cafe owner Joff Gainey told The Lincolnite the rating was mainly due to structural related issues and gaps around the entrance door as the building is nearly a thousand years old.

He said he has had a telephone conversation with Environmental Health about it as this issue has now been remedied and he is now awaiting a revisit from the inspector.

The latest food hygiene rating was confirmed in December 2020. | Photo: Food Standards Agency

Mr Gainey added that there may have been issues with paperwork/food diary being behind, but that this has now been addressed and files are now up-to-date.

Louise Harding, Food, Health & Safety Team Leader at City of Lincoln Council, said: “At the time of the inspection, there were structural matters that required action as well as food safety management issues that contributed to the rating of one.

“We are working with the business so that they are compliant with food safety requirements and our Conservation Officer will be providing advice on structural matters, as the building has listed building status.”

Joff Gainey, owner of BookStop Cafe, came up with the idea of the delivery service this summer.

The cafe adapted to the coronavirus pandemic by launching a delivery service this summer for fresh tea and coffee, as well as homemade cakes.