Butcher's shop illegally imported meat from Nigeria

A butcher's shop has been hit with a zero-star hygiene rating after a curtained toilet was discovered by a food preparation area.

The Rayan Butcher and Grocery in Ashford, Kent, was handed the low score by inspectors after they found an illegal import of meat products from Nigeria.

The scathing review reveals how staff were not wearing protective clothing when handling raw meat and no suitable cleaning or disinfectant products were being used to clean equipment and utensils.

The toilet, which was roped off by a curtain, broke rules about the distance between a lavatory and a food preparation area and a drain pipe fixed with sticky tape was found.

The owner of the shop, father-of-three Ibrahim Awad, a refugee from Syria, has said customers are now 'scared' to use the business due to the damning rating.

The report from Inspectors at Ashford Borough Council, who visited the site on February 7 and February 9, said: 'The toilet in the wash-up areas opens directly into a room where food was being stored and handled. There was no door - only a curtain.

'Lavatories must not open directly into rooms in which food is handled. A lobby is required between the toilet and food room.

'There must be a ventilated lobby between the toilet and food handling area..'

Raw meat and fresh vegetables were found to be stored in the same chiller, with the report saying these should be stored separately to prevent cross-contamination.

An illegal import of meat from Nigeria was also discovered at the shop.

The report added that there were no suitable cleaning and disinfectant products being used to clean equipment and utensils.

Several foodstuffs were found past their best-before date and a number of items were found to be in a state of disrepair.

Mr Awad said that the illegal import of Nigerian meat was not on the shelf and was in storage, and he is now working to address the concerns raised in the report.