Sep 29, 2013, 4:07 am
Last edit by: 710 77345
A Food Safety Inspector from the London Borough of Hillingdon has inspected the food preparation areas of the Concorde Room and Galleries First Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 (run by BaxterStorey on behalf of British Airways) and has indicated under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme that Food Hygiene and Safety is POOR:
It's an appalling score, putting the lounge in the bottom 10% of food establishments in England (worse than many burger vans and kebab shops!).
A 5/5 score was awarded in the past year to BA's T3 and (unspecified) Galleries T5 lounges (whilst under Compass' control prior to handover to BaxterStorey). Galleries Club Lounges in Terminal 5 A were reassessed in September 2013 and scored 4 (North Lounge) and 2 (South Lounge) - both are discussed here. Aer Lingus, Cathay, AA, Virgin and other airside lounges all scored 5/5. Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food received a 2/5 rating (food being cooked in a different way to the manual, burgers being kept warm rather than hot, a broken fridge and washing hands in a "utensil only" sink).
5 days after the score was first revealed on Flyertalk, BaxterStorey posted a statement just prior to a story being published in the Daily Mail (which was sourced from this thread!). A spokesperson for British Airways said "We work with BaxterStorey to provide a high quality service to customers using our lounges, and take all feedback seriously. We continue to invest in our product and are currently renovating our kitchen facilities.”
The Council's Report was obtained by Fife, published in .pdf here. The reasons for the poor score were not just the kitchen facilities, but included the following areas for immediate rectification:
Out of Date Ingredients: eggs and quince beyond their safe use-by date were being served to passengers.
Meat Stored at Room Temperature: ham sandwiches and cooked ham left at 16°C/61°F. The maximum safe temperature is 8°C/46°F
Hot Food Not Hot Enough: sausages and scrambled eggs left at 50°C/122°F. The minimum safe temperature is 63°C/145°F
Dirty Kitchen: 7 separate areas were found to be so dirty they needed an immediate thorough cleaning.
Cross Contamination of Food: a member of staff handled raw salmon, then immediately performed other kitchen duties without removing their gloves, or washing their hands, risking cross-contamination.
Risk of Access by Rats, Mice and Insects: a long gap in a kitchen back door required immediate filling to minimise pest entry points.
In addition, BaxterStorey were given until the end of September to accurately record the training given to their staff - Compass did not pass on their training records to BaxterStorey, and as BS had no record of training performed since it took over, BS was unable to hand any record of compliance with training standards to the inspector.
It's an appalling score, putting the lounge in the bottom 10% of food establishments in England (worse than many burger vans and kebab shops!).
A 5/5 score was awarded in the past year to BA's T3 and (unspecified) Galleries T5 lounges (whilst under Compass' control prior to handover to BaxterStorey). Galleries Club Lounges in Terminal 5 A were reassessed in September 2013 and scored 4 (North Lounge) and 2 (South Lounge) - both are discussed here. Aer Lingus, Cathay, AA, Virgin and other airside lounges all scored 5/5. Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food received a 2/5 rating (food being cooked in a different way to the manual, burgers being kept warm rather than hot, a broken fridge and washing hands in a "utensil only" sink).
5 days after the score was first revealed on Flyertalk, BaxterStorey posted a statement just prior to a story being published in the Daily Mail (which was sourced from this thread!). A spokesperson for British Airways said "We work with BaxterStorey to provide a high quality service to customers using our lounges, and take all feedback seriously. We continue to invest in our product and are currently renovating our kitchen facilities.”
The Council's Report was obtained by Fife, published in .pdf here. The reasons for the poor score were not just the kitchen facilities, but included the following areas for immediate rectification:
Out of Date Ingredients: eggs and quince beyond their safe use-by date were being served to passengers. Meat Stored at Room Temperature: ham sandwiches and cooked ham left at 16°C/61°F. The maximum safe temperature is 8°C/46°F Hot Food Not Hot Enough: sausages and scrambled eggs left at 50°C/122°F. The minimum safe temperature is 63°C/145°F Dirty Kitchen: 7 separate areas were found to be so dirty they needed an immediate thorough cleaning. Cross Contamination of Food: a member of staff handled raw salmon, then immediately performed other kitchen duties without removing their gloves, or washing their hands, risking cross-contamination. Risk of Access by Rats, Mice and Insects: a long gap in a kitchen back door required immediate filling to minimise pest entry points.
Response from BaxterStorey [lounge food hygiene "poor" rating]
Oct 21, 2013, 5:07 am
#587
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Of these 276, 231 (84%) are rated 5, 34 (12%) are rated 4, 9 (3%) are rated 3, 1 (0.5%) is rated 2, and 1 (0.5%) is rated 1.
Looking at those figures objectively and dispassionately, isn't it telling that of the 11 lowest scores, 2 relate to BA Lounges that Baxter Storey took over just a couple of months before the inspections that produced those 2 unsatisfactory scores took place?
Oct 21, 2013, 5:59 am
#588
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Location: UK
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Search on the "scores on the doors" website for "storey" and you'll find 285 entries in England and Wales, 276 of which relate to Baxter Storey.
Of these 276, 231 (84%) are rated 5, 34 (12%) are rated 4, 9 (3%) are rated 3, 1 (0.5%) is rated 2, and 1 (0.5%) is rated 1.
Looking at those figures objectively and dispassionately, isn't it telling that of the 11 lowest scores, 2 relate to BA Lounges that Baxter Storey took over just a couple of months before the inspections that produced those 2 unsatisfactory scores took place?
Of these 276, 231 (84%) are rated 5, 34 (12%) are rated 4, 9 (3%) are rated 3, 1 (0.5%) is rated 2, and 1 (0.5%) is rated 1.
Looking at those figures objectively and dispassionately, isn't it telling that of the 11 lowest scores, 2 relate to BA Lounges that Baxter Storey took over just a couple of months before the inspections that produced those 2 unsatisfactory scores took place?
BS are very experienced and knew exactly what conditions the kitchens were in before they took over and could and should have made plans to ensure that on "day 1" every known issue was remedied and fully compliant with the very highest levels of hygiene and their normal standards. Many of their problems stemmed from day to day mangement and training.
One day is enough - 2 months indefensible.
Oct 21, 2013, 6:15 am
#589
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine, & London, UK
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Yes ... but not wishing to misinterpret your point you say " .....2 relate to BA Lounges that Baxter Storey took over just a couple of months before the inspections that produced those 2 unsatisfactory scores took place?" rather implying that somehow the 2 is defendable or understandable. If that is your point I disagree.
I posted in response to Aus_Mal who said that Baxter Storey will need all the luck they can get, in the context of doing well in the next inspection.
The figures demonstrate that Baxter Storey seems to have a pretty good record overall, with 96% of scores in the top two categories, so good luck doesn't appear to come into it. That was my point.
Oct 21, 2013, 6:28 am
#590
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The whole point of this is that luck isn't involved.
My nearest church runs a little café from its portico, operated by a couple of volunteers. It does hot meals as well as the usual café fare, from odd bits of equipment, possibly second-hand, which are fitted as best one can into a church portico. And they have a 5-star rating, because the people who run it are a) capable of reading the rules and b) give a sh*t.
My nearest church runs a little café from its portico, operated by a couple of volunteers. It does hot meals as well as the usual café fare, from odd bits of equipment, possibly second-hand, which are fitted as best one can into a church portico. And they have a 5-star rating, because the people who run it are a) capable of reading the rules and b) give a sh*t.
Oct 21, 2013, 6:29 am
#591
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In that case we don't disagree because that wasn't my point.
I posted in response to Aus_Mal who said that Baxter Storey will need all the luck they can get, in the context of doing well in the next inspection.
The figures demonstrate that Baxter Storey seems to have a pretty good record overall, with 96% of scores in the top two categories, so good luck doesn't appear to come into it. That was my point.
I posted in response to Aus_Mal who said that Baxter Storey will need all the luck they can get, in the context of doing well in the next inspection.
The figures demonstrate that Baxter Storey seems to have a pretty good record overall, with 96% of scores in the top two categories, so good luck doesn't appear to come into it. That was my point.
Oct 21, 2013, 8:56 am
#592
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: London
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When is the next inspection?
Oct 21, 2013, 10:15 am
#593
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 6,265
Well having seen for myself potential lapses in hygiene at T5 F (eg the way tables are wiped, how food is not rotated properly, the flies, and meals being brought out that aren't as warm as they should be ... And of course the stone in my soup at EDI ), I feel that some luck is required by BA and BS to get a great score.
That said, as I commented in the thread earlier I was more confident regarding food hygiene when I was at T5 about a week ago so maybe they will do well.
That said, as I commented in the thread earlier I was more confident regarding food hygiene when I was at T5 about a week ago so maybe they will do well.
Last edited by Aus_Mal; Oct 21, 2013 at 12:38 pm
Oct 21, 2013, 12:29 pm
#594
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I took the OP's meaning to be that if BS failed again and BA were forced to take action against the supplier the overall quality of the offering may well improve rather than decline still further.
Oct 21, 2013, 2:26 pm
#595
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 107
I definitely saw an external visitor being escorted all around GC South today by BA management.
They inspected the kitchens and all of the food and bar areas.
I may be cynical but I was in there from around 11am-12, was this an intentionally easier time to inspect as the breakfast was cleared away and no hot food was out for lunch yet?
They inspected the kitchens and all of the food and bar areas.
I may be cynical but I was in there from around 11am-12, was this an intentionally easier time to inspect as the breakfast was cleared away and no hot food was out for lunch yet?
Oct 21, 2013, 4:20 pm
#596
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I definitely saw an external visitor being escorted all around GC South today by BA management.
They inspected the kitchens and all of the food and bar areas.
I may be cynical but I was in there from around 11am-12, was this an intentionally easier time to inspect as the breakfast was cleared away and no hot food was out for lunch yet?
They inspected the kitchens and all of the food and bar areas.
I may be cynical but I was in there from around 11am-12, was this an intentionally easier time to inspect as the breakfast was cleared away and no hot food was out for lunch yet?
Feb 19, 2014, 11:59 pm
#597
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Hillingdon Council did another inspection on 10 February. The score is now 5 out of 5 ("very good").
More details here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...very-good.html
More details here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...very-good.html