A kebab shop was told it needs "major improvement" after a food storage room was found to get pigeons trapped inside.

Mangal Express in Rickmansworth High Street was hit with a 1/5 food hygiene rating after an inspection on October 26.

Update: Following an inspection in June 2023, Mangal Express has now been given a 5/5 rating

However, restaurant chef Mr A Ozer told the Watford Observer that some of the faults found during the inspection have already been fixed.

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Three Rivers District Council also confirmed the inspector saw improvements when they visited on November 30.  

But in the recently published report, the inspector highlighted a raft of issues including management of food safety, hygienic food handling and cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building.

They said the rear storeroom that housed fridges, freezers, containers for putting customers food in, and an open box of peppers, had parts of the ceiling and walls missing.

They wrote in the report: “The chef told me that the hole in the area above the rear external door was so that you can get the pigeons out when they get trapped inside.”

The inspector said the room could not be used to store food, equipment or packaging until work has been carried out.

Cross contamination was also a problem raised twice in the report.

The inspector described trays of raw kebabs on top of yoghurt tubs on the top shelf in one of the fridges.

Watford Observer: The council has confirmed that some improvements have already been made.The council has confirmed that some improvements have already been made. (Image: Stock image)

The takeaway shop was told to have better separation between raw and ready to eat items in the fridge.

It has also been asked to improve its preparation areas for raw and ready to eat food, so cross contamination does not take place.

Mr Ozer said: “After the first inspection she came back to our improvements and she said ‘everything was so nice’.

“She said as soon as we finish construction we could get a five in three months.”

A council spokesperson added: “At the time of the revisit, the business was operating at a higher level than 1/5, but that rating remains in place until all the issues have been rectified and a rescore has been requested.”

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