The Six Bells in Thame’s High Street is a charming and picturesque watering hole that catches the eye with its traditional thatched roof. Described by the pub team as “the quintessential country pub in Thame,” it offers a cozy atmosphere with roaring fires, a lovely garden, real ale on tap, and delicious pub food served in the in-house restaurant.
However, the idyllic facade of this drinking spot owned by Fuller’s was recently tarnished when it received a less than stellar hygiene rating from the South Oxfordshire District Council’s Environmental Health team. During their visit on Monday, August 19, inspectors found that major improvements were necessary, resulting in the pub being slapped with a one-out-of-five hygiene rating.
One of the key issues highlighted in the report was the management of food safety, which was deemed to require major improvement. This encompasses having proper systems and checks in place to ensure that the food served is safe to eat, as well as ensuring that staff are knowledgeable about food safety practices. It also involves instilling confidence in the food safety officer that standards will be upheld in the future.
Additionally, the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building were flagged as areas needing improvement. This includes maintaining an appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities, and pest control to uphold good food hygiene standards.
While the hygienic handling of food, including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling, and storage, was rated as generally satisfactory, there were still significant areas for improvement identified by the inspectors.
Fuller’s, the owner of The Six Bells, has been contacted by the Oxford Mail for comment on the pub’s low hygiene rating. It remains to be seen how the pub will address these concerns and work towards improving its hygiene standards in the future.
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