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Poor hygiene found at one in 10 Sandwell food outlets

Almost one in 10 eating establishments in Sandwell have poor hygiene standards, new figures have revealed.

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Nine per cent of restaurants and takeaways have been told they either need improvement, major improvement or urgent improvement.

Businesses that have undergone inspections are rated out of five in terms of hygiene.

Six currently have the lowest possible rating of zero, which means serious hygiene breaches have been uncovered.

Establishments given a zero rating are told they require urgent improvement and are normally inspected again within a short time period.

A total of 81 businesses are in need of major improvement with a one-star rating, while another 81 have been told they need to improve after being given two out of five stars.

Inspections carried out at random tests at restaurants, takeaways, shops and other businesses, which sell or serve food.

The worst cases have even led to owners being prosecuted.

A Smethwick supermarket was ordered to pay more than £20,000 in fines and costs in September after environmental health officers closed it down over a mice infestation.

Bosses at the Masala Bazaar, in the Cape Hill Retail Centre, were hauled before magistrates in Dudley. But the vast majority of food businesses in the borough run clean and safe operations.

Figures showed a total of 834 were rated 'very good' and had been given a rating of five.

More businesses also have the best score than any other rating.

A total of 401 are rated 'good', which carries a rating of four stars, while 479 were 'generally satisfactory' and had a rating of three.

Councillor Preet Gill, cabinet member for public health, said it was important customers flagged up examples of poor hygiene.

She said: "I think we do okay in Sandwell but there is always more work we can do as a council but we have got to work with businesses that want to improve.

"It's really important people who use outlets and see bad hygiene report it to us. It's really important people feel they can contact the council."

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