Four businesses in the Cotswolds were given the lowest possible food hygiene rating after a council inspection

The Standard has discovered that three pubs and one takeaway van in the Cotswolds were given a zero out of five food hygiene rating this year, signalling urgent improvement is needed.

When working out what rating to award a business, Cotswold District Council (CDC) officers check how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the building and how the business manages its processes for making sure food is safe.

To get a zero rating, the business must perform poorly in all three of these categories.

The New Inn Hotel in Lechlade was given a zero rating in September before the owners began a full refurbishment of the premises.

Owner Nick Sandhu said: “It was a coincidence that they came in when we were about to start refurbishing. But we are finished now and we’re hoping to get a five star rating.”

A council spokesman said The New Inn Hotel was serving food when officers carried out the inspection before the refurbishment started.

The Coach and Horses in Bourton-on-the-Water was also given a zero in August this year. Owner Robyn Holmyard, who took over in May with business partner Luke Gainford, said the reason the pub got such a poor rating was because they had only just started.

“We had just taken over the business and got scored straight away,” said Robyn. “The officers haven’t come back since. They said they would be back in October.”

The Bull Hotel in Fairford was given a zero rating in July this year, but officers have since given the pub a three star rating following a re-inspection.

“Our low score was before chef Jamie Woods took over the kitchen at the hotel,” said Bull manager Ian Summers.

“We are extremely proud of everything he has done to raise the standards of the kitchen, in hygiene as well as food and menu quality. We are confident that the rating will be even higher next time around.”

Kaz’s Breakfast Van in Bourton also received a zero rating in July. Owner Kaz Tiryaki has now set up a new night business called Kaz’s Kebab Van and is expecting another visit from council officers to carry out a food hygiene test.

He said the zero rating was due to him not having the correct paperwork, adding: “I am confident that we will get a better rating next time.”

Cabinet member for health issues at CDC, Cllr Carole Topple, said the inspections were very useful to the public.

“The problem is that it’s hard to tell whether a restaurant’s hygiene standards are up to scratch even if the staff may look very presentable and the place is busy,” she said.

Visit food.gov.uk/ratings