A TAKEAWAY restaurant in Silloth has picked up a one star hygiene rating following a recent inspection.

The K L Express Chinese takeaway in Silloth was the subject of a routine inspection by Allerdale Council environmental health officers, which saw it receive a one star rating - which determines that “major improvement is necessary” at the establishment.

Among the finds by inspectors was a distinct foul odour emanating from the drain in the rear store room.

The report reads: “At the time of our inspection the majority of the food in the fridge and food which was cooling prior to refrigeration was not adequately protected against contamination.

“Food which has been precooked for later reheating such as battered chicken and char sui pork must be placed in the fridge or freezer within 90 minutes of cooking. At the time of our visit both these items were noted and it was unclear when they had been cooked.

“At the time of our inspection there was a distinct foul odour emanating from the drain in the rear store room. You must ensure the drains are kept clear and if this is a recurrent problem you may need to get a competent plumber to advise you on the cause.”

It continued: “The water in the base of the bain marie was discoloured and had obviously not been changed in some time. You must ensure that the water bath is emptied and cleaned regularly to avoid foul odours and attracting pests.”

It was given a score of 15 out of 25 for food hygiene and safety procedures, and for structural and cleanliness requirements. For management an documented procedures it received a score of 15 out of 30. The three scores then added up to give the outlet a total score - with 45 landing a one star rating.

A spokesman for K L Express said: “I can assure you we are working hard to improve our score and are working with the council to achieve this. We have faced issues with this, such as the council being very unreliable on their return times to check on our progress.

“Sometimes we can go months without seeing them again, after they tell us they will be back after a couple of weeks.

“Whilst we have been closed this past month we have done a deep clean, and are keeping on top of all the council requirements so we can provide a high standard of service and produce to our customers.”

A spokesman from Allerdale said: "Allerdale Borough Council carry out food hygiene inspections according to the risk register of the business and this premises was visited within the timescale of that risk register. The issues were discussed with the food business operator on site and followed up with the necessary correspondence."