A POPULAR Italian eatery has been served with a five-star rating following their latest food hygiene inspection.
Francescas at the Majestic Hotel in Duke Street, Barrow was visited by a local authority inspector on Tuesday October 4 and achieved full marks after being assessed across a range of areas.
Staff at the well-known Italian restaurant were thrilled by the result after scoring zero at a previous inspection in the summer.
Stuart Bowes, operations director for the Hotel Majestic, said: "Food safety regulations and best practices are constantly changing.
"The local authority and Food Standards Agency provide invaluable guidance and assistance to stay one step ahead.
"I chose not to appeal their previous ranking, but worked with them and I’m delighted with the outcome."
Mr Bowes added: "Francescas is a seven days a week operation and the level of inspection is incredibly thorough.
"To achieve top marks puts us a star above other highly regarded establishments in the region."
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All food establishments are visited in a bid to ensure standards are kept high across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and ranked according to criterion set by the Food Standards Agency.
Eateries are ranked from five down to zero, with zero meaning urgent improvement is necessary, one meaning major improvement is necessary and two meaning improvement is necessary.
Mr Bowes stated that staff had gone above and beyond what was needed, making changes which "exceeded recommendations".
The Majestic Hotel, which was built in 1904, has also been subjected to changes as part of the revamp.
"The original fabric of the building has always presented problems, in particular the basement, which has now undergone a major transformation.
"We have also developed new ground floor storage areas and invested heavily in extra equipment, including a blast chiller," said Mr Bowes.
The Majestic Hotel and it’s sister establishment the Imperial Hotel are now both ranked five-out-of-five for food hygiene.
Barrow food hygiene inspections: the latest
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