A Watford restaurant and shisha bar has been handed a 1/5 food hygiene rating after opening this year.

Despite inspectors finding that hygienic food handling and the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building at Creed Restaurant and Lounge were good, it was still given the second lowest possible score.

This is because “major improvement” is necessary at the St Albans Road location in the management of food safety category, according to the Food Standards Agency.

Because of this, it was also given the overall assessment that “major improvement is necessary” when the rating was made public online after the September 26 inspection.

Owner Aziz Rasuli said that the rating was due to paperwork not being properly filled in, something the business has addressed. A follow-up inspection four weeks later apparently confirmed this, and he hopes to be re-inspected around Christmas time.

"All the staff now are very professional," Mr Rasuli added, explaining that all necessary forms are now filled out and items are always correctly labelled.

"Otherwise, they were already very happy with us."

The restaurant held its grand opening on July 20, this year, and serves a mix of traditional Afghan food, burgers, curries, vegetarian options, and steak.

The shisha bar offers over 20 flavours of heated tobacco as well as an extensive mocktail menu.