Popular Waterford restaurant forced to close for two days over serious hygiene issues

A popular restaurant in County Waterford was one of ten food businesses across Ireland that were the subject of enforcement proceedings during April.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has released details and published reports relating to each of the premises which were visited by HSE inspectors.

Among the ten was The City Arms Gastro Bar/Bistro located at 50 High Street in Waterford City.

According to the FSAI, an inspector from the HSE served a closure order on the proprietor on April 30. The order took immediate effect and was subsequently lifted on May 2.

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In its report, the FSAI says HSE Inspectors identified a umber of breaches of food legislation and regulations when they visited the premises.

The inspectors' report, published this Tuesday, outlines several examples as to why the business was not compliant with specific hygiene regulations.

As stated within the report, the operator or person in charge failed to comply with the legislation detailed below:

Services

• At the commencement of the inspection, hot water was unavailable due to the boiler being switched off

Cleaning and Sanitation

• The overall standard of hygiene was unsatisfactory. Spillages were observed on the floor and had not been cleaned, and there was a visible accumulation of dirt on the surfaces of cooking equipment and stainless steel fittings. In addition, the interior of the microwave was found to be unclean. The customer toilets and urinals were also not cleaned.

Food Storage

• Food items were not labelled with definitive information such as defrost dates, preparation dates, or dates opened. As a result, the shelf life of these products could not be accurately determined. A container of coleslaw prepared on-site was found to have been prepared over three weeks prior to the inspection. Although vinegar had been added in an attempt to extend the product's shelf life, there was no documented risk assessment or verification process in place to support the extended use-by date or ensure the product's safety.

Prevention of Contamination

• Food was not stored under appropriate conditions to prevent deterioration or the risk of cross-contamination. In the cold room, pre-cooked ham (unsealed) was stored in the same container as raw burgers and raw bacon, both wrapped in cling film. Additionally, deli-sliced ready-to-eat ham, also wrapped in cling film, was stored adjacent to raw bacon in the bottom compartment of an under-counter refrigerator. A pool of water had accumulated at the base of the fridge, and when the ham was picked up, water was observed dripping from the packaging, indicating a contamination risk.

Training and Supervision

• The level of training and knowledge demonstrated by the food business operator (FBO) involved in food preparation was inadequate and did not provide sufficient assurance in the effective management of food safety within the business. Furthermore, the FBO was unable to provide evidence of any food safety training having been undertaken.

Maintenance of the Cold Chain

• At the time of inspection, the cold room was operating at 9°C and the under-counter refrigerator at 6.7°C, with no alternative refrigeration units available on-site to ensure the safe storage of perishable food. Additionally, Béchamel sauce was observed being stored at ambient temperature during the inspection, measuring 16.4°C.

The City Arms Gastro Bar/Bistro was ordered to close on April 30. The order took immediate effect and was subsequently lifted on May 2.

You can read the full report here