A Michelin star pub adored by celebrities and dubbed “the UK’s best” has been hit with a poor hygiene rating. The Sportsman in Seasalter, neat Whitstable in Kent, plummeted from a perfect five-star rating to just two after inspectors reported finding “dirt and mould on the ceiling in the walk-in refrigerator”.
The fancy gastropub has been awarded several accolades in the past while being praised for its food and picturesque seaside location, after it was bought by brothers Stephen and Phil Harris in 1999. However, the beloved restaurant was hit with the shocking two-star rating following a recent inspection by Canterbury City Council.
Health inspectors reported spotting several issues during the February 13 inspection including mould “inside a door within an under-counter refrigerator”. They also found pickled cucumbers stored in a “heavily stained jug”, according to KentOnline.
The shocking report also said: “I noted a member of staff eating in the kitchen, cloths over two chefs’ shoulders and one wearing several leather bracelets. You must review your personal hygiene policy.”
Several structural issues were also noted in the building, where some parts are nearly 400 years old. These included damage to skirting boards and and rusting on the rubber coating and shelves in the fridges.
The shocking report added: “The lighting to the lobby, dry food storage area between the kitchen and bar is insufficient to effectively see to prepare food, clean, disinfect and check for signs of pests.
“The kitchen step does not have a surface that can be easily cleaned and disinfected. I found a gap to the left side of the cellar door, which could potentially allow pests to enter the premises.”
Health inspectors also criticised the award-winning restaurant for not completing a daily diary for food contaminations and its lack of an allergen review. Despite the mostly critical report, inspectors said the gastropub had a “satisfactory food safety management system”.
Site owner Shepherd Neame told The Mirror that staff “took immediate action” to address the inspectors findings and had applied for a rescore and reinspection to happen in the coming weeks which it was “confident will see the pub returned to a higher rating in the very near future”.
The Sportsman in Seasalter was graced with a coveted Michelin star in 2008 and prides itself on sourcing local ingredients. The gastropub was even crowned the best pub in the UK in 2015. Despite this, the owners previously described the foody haven as a “grotty rundown boozer by the sea”.
The local council said it was watching the gastropub “closely” after the recent poor rating.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “The business took the points our officer made very seriously and we are pleased to say good progress has been made in addressing the concerns.”
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