A takeaway venue in Oxford has been awarded the worst possible hygiene rating, with its manager stating the result was unexpected.

Exprizza and Desi Grill on Cowley Road serves fast food, advertising itself as experts in burgers, pizza and chargrilled fare.

Environmental Health officers from Oxford City Council carried out an assessment at the venue on Thursday, February 19.

The inspection uncovered serious problems, with the official report noting that improvements were needed immediately.

This led to the venue receiving a zero out of five rating for food hygiene standards.

One of the primary issues identified at the Cowley Road site concerned food safety management systems, which also required immediate attention.

This section examines whether proper processes and protocols exist to ensure food sold or served poses no risk to customers.

It also considers whether employees show awareness of food safety protocols and whether the enforcement officer is confident standards will be maintained in future.

Another problem area for Exprizza and Desi Grill involved the cleanliness and state of the building, where improvements were deemed required.

This covers appropriate design, airflow, washing facilities for hands and pest management to maintain proper food hygiene levels.

The sanitary handling of food, including preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage of items sold, received a rating of broadly acceptable.

This publication contacted Exprizza and Desi Grill for a response to the inspection and resulting hygiene rating.

The establishment’s manager, who has been employed at the venue for several years, voiced disappointment after the assessment.

They noted that the report mentioned only superficial external matters as justification for the poor rating.

They commented that the score came as a surprise given the absence of rodent activity, droppings or comparable issues.

They explained that only some outside tiles and minor painting were required, essentially just external surface work.

They added that an appeal had been submitted and a return inspection has been arranged. They expressed confidence about this because independent assessors had visited and given them a four-star rating.

They mentioned that prior ratings had all been fives, making the recent result particularly disappointing.

Official information on the Food Standards Agency website states that anyone wishing to view the food safety officer’s report underpinning this rating may request it from the local authority responsible for the inspection.

This can be done by sending an email to the address provided.

In certain situations, the local authority may determine that the report cannot be released but will inform the requester of this decision and provide an explanation.