Indian takeaway Basmati in Locks Heath receives a 1 hygiene rating

Basmati Locks Heath in 10A Centre Way, Locks Heath, was inspected by environmental health officers from Fareham Borough Council on Wednesday, January 29.

Inspectors found the restaurant practised ‘poor’ food hygiene and safety – and there was ‘little’ confidence in the management, leaving ‘major improvement necessary’.

Staff had a system of putting ready-to-eat food in opaque containers – but inspectors found that some of these containers stored raw chicken.

Cutlery containers and serving dish lids were dirty, and pieces of plastic from a broken freezer were at risk of falling into food, according to a food hygiene report.

But the issues were ‘not out of disregard of environmental health procedures’, according to Ozzie Mahmmued, a spokesman from the Basmati chain of restaurants.

He said: ‘I myself am very disappointed and have spoken to the staff and addressed some more training and systems to be put in place.

‘The issues that occurred were not out of a disregard of environmental health procedures, but mistakes and wear and tear issues that had happened over a period of time.

‘Our reputation is very important to us.’

He said: ‘There was another inspection prior to this one and the staff had addressed the issues raised from the previous inspection. So we were disappointed with the recent inspection outcome.’

Basmati Locks Heath received a one star hygiene rating in July 2019. The food hygiene ratings in the UK rank from zero to five.

The Basmati restaurant chain began with the opening of a venue in Petworth, West Sussex, in 2015, followed by the branch in the Locks Heath village shopping centre opening two years later.

The restaurant and takeaway chain also has a branch in Chichester.

The chain offers ‘fine Indian cuisine’ with a selection of more than 40 dishes.

Basmati Locks Heath is open from 5pm-11pm Monday to Sunday.