A major US pizza chain is investigating hygiene standards at its Liverpool venue “as a matter of urgency” following a damning report by food inspectors.
Officials from Liverpool Council slapped a zero out of five rating and deemed urgent improvement is required at the Papa John’s shop on Prescot Street after an inspection. The store, opposite the Royal Liverpool Hospital, was given a dramatic negative verdict on its management of food safety and the cleanliness of the building in a brief report released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
A spokesperson for the company said Papa John’s expects “high standards” from its franchisees. Inspectors visited the L7 shop on October 5 and reported they had serious concerns about hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.
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The management of food safety was also an issue deemed necessary for immediate upgrade by local authority inspectors, who said improvement was needed to ensure that “food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.”
In a statement, the Papa John’s spokesperson said: “We require high standards of our franchisees. We are aware of this report and are investigating as a matter of urgency.
“We are committed to working with our franchise partner to help them to address any issues.” Improvement was also required in relation to the cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building, according to the report issued by the FSA. This includes having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control to enable good food hygiene.
Papa John’s first began trading in the UK in 1999 and has hundreds of shops located throughout the country. According to its website, quality “is at our core” and is the “foundation” upon which the business started in the US. The business has more than 5,000 locations in 45 countries and territories around the world.
The pizza company has two locations in Liverpool, including Prescot Street, with a venue at Allerton Road. A further two sites are based on the Wirral, in Bebington and Wallasey.
The chain is also the sponsor of the Football League Trophy, in which Everton and Liverpool’s under 21 teams take part. If the proprietors believe the rating handed out to the business is unfair or wrong, they can appeal in writing to Liverpool Council.
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