Residents Associations in Oxford have claimed that students are keeping restaurants with poor health and safety records from going out of business by providing them with patronage. La Croissanterie, The Mission and Jamal’s are some of the restaurants that have received poor health and safety records.
Oxford City Council has been using the Scores on the Doors national public information service to publish the results of environmental inspection reports since June. The website uses a star-rating system to indicate the extent to which premises comply with food safety regulations.
Stephanie Jenkins, a member of one of Oxford residents’ associations said, “It’s a great pity that students don’t appear to be consulting the Scores on the Doors website, as they are keeping alive some dubious establishments which have received a pretty damning report from the city council.”
Businesses given a no-star rating show “almost total non compliance with obligations and poor management track record” whilst a five-star rating indicates an establishment with an “excellent record of compliance” and “high standards”.
Restaurants receiving between 2 and 5 stars are given a certificate to display on their premises.
La Croissanterie on George Street, which received no stars, said that students make up 25-30% of their clientele. When asked about their health and safety rating, a staff member commented, “I have no idea, I can’t answer that…but it doesn’t seem right to me.”
Café Opium, also on George Street, was another restaurant to receive no stars. Eddie Song, restaurant manager, estimated that in term time 60-70% of their clientele were students and said, “we get good feedback from customers”. In response to inquiries about their last health and safety report, he added, “on the website they gave us zero stars because of structural problems which I think is unfair.”
In May, Oisi Master Sushi bar on St Clement’s was closed down after two incidences of food poisoning were traced to the restaurant.
Policy procedure published by the Oxfordshire Better Regulation Group, which oversees implementation of the new ratings system, states that scores may not always be accurate as premises are not checked or rated between visits, even if they have been refurbished.
According to one council Environmental Inspection officer, “Inspections only represent a keyhole in time, one hour every 18 months and we don’t see what happens in between. The application of stars is based on inspections we could have carried out 18 months or 3 years ago , at which point we didn’t know they were going to be translated into scores on the doors.”
However, premises which have a very poor safety record are usually visited more frequently than those with a strong record of compliance, with even a one-star rating bringing a business “almost up to prosecution stage”.
Inspection officers use “experience” and a range of criteria to determine standards of cleanliness and how well the business is managed, including whether appropriate food safety systems are in place, food storage and the position of wash hand basins.
Jamal’s on Walton Street is another popular student restaurant that has been the subject of a damning council report. The tandoori, which is a regular haunt for students on socials and crew dates, has a no-star rating.
Leon Upton, a student at Pembroke commented, “Most people don’t really care about the food or the hygiene when going to Jamal’s or other curry houses…you go there because you’re allowed to bring your own booze and be noisy without getting kicked out.”
Ali Hydar, manager of Jamal’s, confirmed the popularity of his restaurant within the student community, commenting that during term time 70% of their trade comes from students. He described Jamal’s as “a traditional Indian restaurant which has been going for 22 years, loved by students and the local people of Jericho”. When asked about health and safety he said, “They did the rating before they inspected it….at the moment we’re a 3-star but it’s not on the website yet. We’ll be inspected in January and we have a letter saying we’re a 3-star.”
Another restaurant which has been a hit with students, but has a low rating, is The Mission on St Michael’s Street. The Mexican burrito bar qualified for a 2-star rating at the last inspection.
Stefan Cabrol, restaurant manager, said, “That rating was given when we had only just opened. Everything has been changed since and we are waiting for a new inspection now.” He added, “We have just opened up a new shop. Our success is the result of hard work and our customers obviously know that.”
When asked if the two-star rating would affect his perception of the restaurant, a Pembroke student dining in The Mission said, “It wouldn’t affect me coming back again, I like the food.”
It’s not all bad news for Oxford students, however, as fast food junkies among us will be pleased to hear that McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King all received exemplary 5-star ratings.
Twelve of Oxford’s colleges also benefit from the highest rating on the website, including Christ Church, where one 3rd year commented, “Christ Church upholds high standards, I would expect nothing less.”
Charlotte Gibney, Food and Housing officer at Hertford College, which received a 4-star rating said, “Students often have budgetary constraints to adhere to, and thus may choose to eat out in cheaper establishments. However high food and hygiene standards should be expected from any public eatery and people shouldn’t be afraid to kick up a fuss, no matter how much the meal costs.”
However, one 3rd year at Somerville commented, “It’s idealistic to expect high health and safety standards every time. A low rating would affect my view of a place, undoubtedly, but not for places like take-aways or kebab vans where I don’t expect the same standards as if I was eating out somewhere more formal.”
City councillor, John Tanner, encourages students to check the Scores on the Doors website and be more aware of where they’re dining. “Fortunately, from cosmopolitan Cowley Road to Oxford Castle and lots more, we have some excellent places to eat [but] we want tourists, students and residents to check the Scores on the Doors before they choose where to eat.”
