Indian eatery answers to a food safety rating of zero

We previously reported that Zaika, located at 8 High Street in Stonehouse, received a score of zero out of five following an inspection on December 7.

In response to this, a restaurant spokeswoman has since emailed the SNJ a comment.

The response provided to the SNJ stated that “in December, there was a change of workers due to the hectic time period.”

“On the day of the inspection, the core team was running behind schedule and there were a few new hires who had been hired for the holiday rush.

“Unfortunately, a thorough induction and the requisite checks were not completed in time for the new staff employees.

“The core team at Zaika has years of experience and is knowledgeable in the sector. They are trained in food hygiene and safety.

They commute daily from Birmingham, but they weren’t there when the examination was taking place.

“The additional Zaika crew was there while the inspection took place.

“They had not yet participated in the all-employees-required food hygiene and safety training.

We requested a follow-up visit from the food hygiene inspection team within a few days of the inspection and are still waiting as we expect to fulfill a higher standard of food safety which we have been providing for the last three years at Zaika. “With guidance from the inspector, all points raised by the food hygiene inspection were addressed immediately.

“While all mandatory food safety training has finally been implemented, we fully accept responsibility for our delay in delivering it.

“We sincerely apologize to all of our past and present customers for this behavior and want to reassure you that food safety is a top priority at Zaika.

“As a result, we promise to preserve the high standards of quality and safety just as we did in the past.

We recognize that this news is disconcerting, and in an effort to restore your faith in Zaika, we are delighted to offer you to visit our kitchen when the restaurant is open and observe how things are done there.