Inside Oldham takeaway Pickwicks Potatoes with one hygiene rating

Trading out of Tommyfield Market, Pickwicks Potatoes saw its previous grading of a two slashed during a food inspector’s visit at the end of September.

Now owner John Eatough, of Rochdale, has slammed the council for changing the rules “every time they come”.

Pickwicks Potatoes was issued a one hygiene rating (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

“I just let them get on with it now, we wouldn’t be going for 38 years if our food was rubbish – we’ve never had an issue with our customers and they keep coming back,” the 75-year-old said.

“They move the goalposts all the time; a couple of years ago they told us we need a sink, so we got one. Now, they’ve told us we need two sinks and that the one we had was no good.

The new sinks fitted post visit (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

“I’ve just took what they said onboard and left it at that.”

Pickwicks Potatoes was issued a one hygiene rating (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

People's initial reaction to seeing a one hygiene rating is that the kitchen must be dirty, however that is not the case Mr Eatough explained, evidenced through the food safety report.

Only one out of the six recommendations concluded by the officer, was to do with food preparations – that was that “food should be reheated to 75 degrees and above”.

Four of the other five were for improvements to the equipment and flooring, while another was due to the business not using the most up-to-date health and safety management booklet – a staff member confirmed.

Pickwicks Potatoes was issued a one hygiene rating (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

In the officers report, it stated that “a sink is needed with hot and cold running water for equipment and cleaning”, and that “a wash hand basin is needed with hot and cold running water”.

It also recommended Pickwicks to replace the floor, and that the “floor needs cleaning under equipment immediately”.

The food inspector recommended Pickwicks to replace the flooring (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

Mr Eatough added: “I’m spending money on all of this but I’m not replacing the floor - this time next year the floor will be gone because we’re moving out of Tommyfield Market and into Spindles.”

Pickwicks Potatoes was issued a one hygiene rating (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

The potato stall is located outside by the entrance to the market from the car park, but will move into Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre as part of Oldham Council’s regeneration plan.

He continued: “I don’t want to rattle their cage, but they change the rules every time they come.

Pickwicks Potatoes was issued a one hygiene rating (Image: Joe Yates, Newsquest)

“Most of the officers that come are alright, they’re just working off the book; they come every year or two, but due to Covid the last time they came was three years ago when we got a two.

“When they give you a bad rating they don’t come back after you’ve made all the changes to give you that five – you have to pay for the visit to give you a higher rating, which we’re not going to do.”

A spokesperson for Oldham Council added: "We inspect according to the Food Law Code of Practice, and all businesses are inspected the same way and are required to meet the same standards, not just in Oldham but across the country."

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