The home furnishings chain Dunelm has said it is let down after one of its Oxfordshire branches was awarded a zero rating for food hygiene standards.

Cherwell District Council’s Environmental Health officers visited the Banbury branch on Southam Road on Tuesday, March 17.

The assessment gave the business the minimum possible food hygiene mark of zero out of five.

One major area of concern was how food safety was managed at the Banbury branch, which was judged to require major improvement.

This section covers whether there are systems or processes in place to ensure food that is sold or provided is safe to eat.

It also includes whether employees show understanding of food safety guidelines and whether the food safety inspector thinks standards will continue to be maintained.

The state and tidiness of the premises’ equipment and building were also highlighted as needing major improvement.

This involves having appropriate facilities, ventilation, handwashing basins and pest control measures to support proper food hygiene.

The retailer has now provided a comment about the hygiene rating, calling the outcome disappointing.

A Dunelm spokesperson explained that since 99 per cent of their branches have received a five-star rating, they are clearly let down to have been given this score as it does not reflect the high standards of food health and safety they demand across their cafés.

They added that they took corrective action straight away and worked closely with the local council to make sure the required improvements were made quickly.

They emphasized that the health and safety of their customers and staff remains their top priority, and they take these matters extremely seriously.