Concorde Room [and GF]- food hygiene now "Very Good"
Feb 19, 14, 11:57 pm
#1
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Concorde Room [and GF]- food hygiene now "Very Good"
I am personally delighted to bring this news.
The London Borough of Hillingdon Environmental Health inspectorate recently did an unannounced inspection of the Concorde Room and have updated their rating from 2 out of 5 ("poor" and requires improvement) to 5 out of 5 (Food Hygiene Rating "Very Good"). This is the highest score possible under this particular nationwide, state sponsored system.
Scores on the Doors: Concorde Room entry, 10 February 2014.
The game changer was the new kitchen refurbishment, plus the procedural and training changes that allowed the score to be revised upwards.
To clarify: Baxter Storey management did take a lot of action about this, and have been fairly open with me about exactly what it was - there must have been over 20 changes in all. During the period of the previous inspection there was considerable staff unhappiness at the situation, and then frustration when the changes were put in place and no re-inspection had taken place. The way the system works is that the site operators can request another inspection after improvements, but it's up to the inspectorate to decide as and when they turn up. If Baxter Storey had any more say on the matter they would have wanted this to take place far sooner.
I am very glad, as much for the sake of the hardworking staff, that this miserable chapter is now closed.
I've put a note on the previous and well known thread on the issue.
The London Borough of Hillingdon Environmental Health inspectorate recently did an unannounced inspection of the Concorde Room and have updated their rating from 2 out of 5 ("poor" and requires improvement) to 5 out of 5 (Food Hygiene Rating "Very Good"). This is the highest score possible under this particular nationwide, state sponsored system.
Scores on the Doors: Concorde Room entry, 10 February 2014.
The game changer was the new kitchen refurbishment, plus the procedural and training changes that allowed the score to be revised upwards.
To clarify: Baxter Storey management did take a lot of action about this, and have been fairly open with me about exactly what it was - there must have been over 20 changes in all. During the period of the previous inspection there was considerable staff unhappiness at the situation, and then frustration when the changes were put in place and no re-inspection had taken place. The way the system works is that the site operators can request another inspection after improvements, but it's up to the inspectorate to decide as and when they turn up. If Baxter Storey had any more say on the matter they would have wanted this to take place far sooner.
I am very glad, as much for the sake of the hardworking staff, that this miserable chapter is now closed.
I've put a note on the previous and well known thread on the issue.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Feb 20, 14 at 1:19 am
Feb 20, 14, 12:35 am
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Indeed it is also applicable to Flounge: the Concorde Room and Galleries First in the LHR T5A South Lounges complex was inspected as one unit, so the rating actually applies to both lounges. The kitchen is shared (and links) the two lounges.
Galleries Club upstairs was and remains 5, but they were last inspected 6 December 2010.
Galleries Club upstairs was and remains 5, but they were last inspected 6 December 2010.
Feb 20, 14, 1:16 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Good news indeed. I had my first taste of GF at T5 on Tuesday morning and I have to say that I was very happy with the food, especially given the recent history that I'd read about. Admittedly I still think the Virgin clubhouse has the edge, but it was a very decent breakfast buffet. Stayed away from the Castelnau though, a bit early...
Out of curiosity, what's the T3 lounge rating as I'll be there next week as well...? Assume the food and drink are basically comparable to T5?
Out of curiosity, what's the T3 lounge rating as I'll be there next week as well...? Assume the food and drink are basically comparable to T5?
Feb 20, 14, 1:32 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Feb 20, 14, 1:58 am
#9
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Originally Posted by Kgmm77
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Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Feb 20, 14, 2:12 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2008
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That's true but I think c-w-s' comments were more for the staff who were (in my experience) deeply embarrassed by the whole affair. About six months ago I took a quick flip through the guest book at GC North and a lady came up to me and told me she was really embarrassed about what had been written and that they were trying their very best. The staff generally are lovely and if nothing else I'm pleased for them that this has been resolved.
I don't want to get into a "he said....she said", but the post refers to management.
Management have no excuse and no hiding place. There is no mitigation.
Originally Posted by sigma421
Originally Posted by Kgmm77
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 7_0_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/537.51.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.0 Mobile/11B601 Safari/9537.53)
Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Bringing hygiene standards up to general expected levels deserves neither congratulation nor celebration, much in the same manner that interest rate traders shouldn't receive praise for not fixing rates or finiancial advisors not misselling endowment mortgages.
Instead of being "frustrated" at how long a re-inspection took, they should keep their head down and thank their lucky stars they keep the contract.
Just a contrarian view...
Management have no excuse and no hiding place. There is no mitigation.
Feb 20, 14, 2:41 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,500
Yes, this is good news - BA/Baxter Storey were told last week that although there were some small issues, these really were just the sort of tiny things you would see on any inspection and none would stop them getting a 5.
I wouldn't be breaking out the party poppers just yet, as the T1 Domestic, T1 International and T3 lounges were also all inspected. There weren't any large risks to health - they all scored a 4 - but there were common failings that wouldn't come as a surprise to a BA traveller. The temperature of the food wasn't being measured properly, dirt-encrusted implements were being used and there was poor record keeping.
It's fantastic that BA have achieved a 5 for the Concorde Room - but approximately two-thirds of all food establishments at Heathrow (from the fancy Virgin Clubhouse to a coffee stand) also get a 5.
Places with hygiene issues in the bottom third of Heathrow establishments include:
BA's Terminal 5 Arrivals
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries South
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries North
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries B
BA's Terminal 3 Lounge
BA's Terminal 1 International
BA's Terminal 1 Domestic
BA's current scores at a single airport are an inconsistent 2 (still!), 3, 4 and now a 5 too. Would it be too much to ask that the attention paid to the CCR is given to the other lounges (ideally Galleries South, as this is currently a dodgy 2)? Much like our passenger concerns with BA planes, the issues identified are not those of outdated or poor equipment but of poor training and lack of attention by staff.
It's great for Baxter Storey to say "we wish this inspection had been done earlier" and to hope we conclude this chapter is over - but T5 Galleries South was inspected in September, is all of 5 metres away from the Concorde Room kitchen, and scored a 2 - the worst hygiene score in the whole of Heathrow!
T5 Arrivals was inspected in October - and scored a 3.
The issues identified in all the lounges are similar, recurring and simple to fix - pests, hygiene, poor record keeping and poor temperature control. Why this has not been resolved in all the lounges I do not know. I wish Baxter Storey staff spent the effort being frustrated that a re-inspection hadn't happened sooner in working with other lounges to fix their issues.
I wouldn't be breaking out the party poppers just yet, as the T1 Domestic, T1 International and T3 lounges were also all inspected. There weren't any large risks to health - they all scored a 4 - but there were common failings that wouldn't come as a surprise to a BA traveller. The temperature of the food wasn't being measured properly, dirt-encrusted implements were being used and there was poor record keeping.
It's fantastic that BA have achieved a 5 for the Concorde Room - but approximately two-thirds of all food establishments at Heathrow (from the fancy Virgin Clubhouse to a coffee stand) also get a 5.
Places with hygiene issues in the bottom third of Heathrow establishments include:
BA's Terminal 5 Arrivals
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries South
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries North
BA's Terminal 5 Galleries B
BA's Terminal 3 Lounge
BA's Terminal 1 International
BA's Terminal 1 Domestic
BA's current scores at a single airport are an inconsistent 2 (still!), 3, 4 and now a 5 too. Would it be too much to ask that the attention paid to the CCR is given to the other lounges (ideally Galleries South, as this is currently a dodgy 2)? Much like our passenger concerns with BA planes, the issues identified are not those of outdated or poor equipment but of poor training and lack of attention by staff.
It's great for Baxter Storey to say "we wish this inspection had been done earlier" and to hope we conclude this chapter is over - but T5 Galleries South was inspected in September, is all of 5 metres away from the Concorde Room kitchen, and scored a 2 - the worst hygiene score in the whole of Heathrow!
T5 Arrivals was inspected in October - and scored a 3.
The issues identified in all the lounges are similar, recurring and simple to fix - pests, hygiene, poor record keeping and poor temperature control. Why this has not been resolved in all the lounges I do not know. I wish Baxter Storey staff spent the effort being frustrated that a re-inspection hadn't happened sooner in working with other lounges to fix their issues.
Last edited by 710 77345; Feb 20, 14 at 3:21 am
Feb 20, 14, 2:56 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,500
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Galleries Club upstairs was and remains 5, but they were last inspected 6 December 2010.
You say that the "game changer" for the CCR was the new kitchen - I don't agree with this, and if Baxter Storey implied that this was the case than they were being disingenuous. When you look at the reasons behind the scores, it's the performance of staff (including management) that is the main reason behind the poor scores.
Last edited by 710 77345; Feb 20, 14 at 3:07 am
Feb 20, 14, 4:51 am
#13
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Grateful for the update, c-w-s.
However, as 710 77345 indicates above, there is a lot more work to be done for us common folk in the cheap seats/lounges. Are we not as deserving of an hygienic environment as the 'important' denizens of the Flounge/CCR?
However, as 710 77345 indicates above, there is a lot more work to be done for us common folk in the cheap seats/lounges. Are we not as deserving of an hygienic environment as the 'important' denizens of the Flounge/CCR?
Feb 20, 14, 5:15 am
#14
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Phew, just in time as I will be able to eat dinner in CR tomorrow without fear now. 
Seriously though this is good news. I wonder if the same newspapers that published the original story will do a follow-up.
Seriously though this is good news. I wonder if the same newspapers that published the original story will do a follow-up.
Feb 20, 14, 5:24 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Getting a low score is newsworthy for such a high profile brand, getting an acceptable score isn't newsworthy IMO.
Originally Posted by Moomba
Phew, just in time as I will be able to eat dinner in CR tomorrow without fear now.
Seriously though this is good news. I wonder if the same newspapers that published the original story will do a follow-up.
Seriously though this is good news. I wonder if the same newspapers that published the original story will do a follow-up.
