Patisserie Valerie's Rushden Lakes branch given shocking zero-star food hygiene rating

The Patisserie Valerie branch at Rushden Lakes has been given a shocking zero-star rating for food hygiene.

An environmental health officer found that improvement was necessary across all three categories they graded when they visited the cafe at the retail park’s Boardwalk.

Their zero-star rating – which came after an inspection on September 15 – was recently added to the Food Standards Agency website.

Their website said that it was found that major improvement was necessary for hygienic food handling, which covers areas such as preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage.

Improvement was found to be necessary for the cleanliness and condition of the cafe’s facilities and building.

And urgent improvement was necessary for management of food safety, which covers things such as systems or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat and evidence that staff know about food safety.

Cake specialists Patisserie Valerie, who also serve afternoon teas, brunches and sandwiches, have been contacted for comment but are yet to respond.

The Northants Telegraph asked North Northamptonshire Council to release a copy of their food safety inspection report under Freedom of Information Act laws, to find out what the council officer discovered that led to the zero-star food safety rating.

But the council refused to do so and said the information was exempt – because supplying it would prejudice or would be likely to prejudice ongoing investigations conducted by the local authority.

In their email refusing to release it, a council officer said: “The purpose of this exemption is to protect information which will allow an effective investigation and determine whether any crime has been committed.

"Releasing the information will prejudice this process.

"There is a significant public interest in protecting the integrity of any ongoing investigation so as not to compromise any potential proceedings.”