A SWINDON restaurant says it addressing concerns raised by food standards inspectors which saw it handed a zero rating.

Yume, in Victoria Road, was one of 14 food outlets in Swindon given the rating – a score out of five – after an inspection by officers from Swindon Borough Council.

Now restaurant manager David Lai says he has acted on advice from the council which should see them given an improved score when next inspected. 

The council says a follow-up inspection saw improvements in the operation which, if continued, would see an improved score given.

Mr Lai said: “They categorically said (on the second visit) if we appraise you now, we would be on a four-star (rating).”

And he said the initial rating was largely due to issues over documentation at the restaurant.

“Having zero stars doesn’t mean there are zombies hiding in the refrigerators, or a dead rat in the corner,” he said. “It is perceived as that, but it’s not.”

He also said guidance before an inspection was not clear enough for restaurant owners, especially in uncommon cuisines.

“How can someone be assessed on something they don’t feel they have enough information on?” Mr Lai added.

A council spokesman said inspectors had returned to the venue and were giving advice to the owners.

“Yume has a zero rating and has not been formally re-inspected,” he said. 

“They were visited again recently, because all businesses that score poorly receive additional visits to check on the progress they are making following our advice. 

“The inspector found that things had improved on that visit and this, if maintained, would lead to a much improved score. 

“However, we need to see a consistent level of good performance over a period of time before we can improve the rating from zero, and any new rating would come from another formal revisit.”

Mr Lai said they are happy to speak with anyone about the practices at the restaurant, given they handle raw food.

“To all our valued customers, our reputation in serving good quality food to a high standard comes from word of mouth and personal experience,” said Mr Lai. 

“And our TripAdvisor ranking speaks for itself. Please trust that we strive to provide the best dining experience possible.

“I would also like to thank the Swindon public who have been very supportive and understanding in this difficult situation.  The huge outpouring of love has been tremendous.”

The results of all the council inspections can be found by visiting ratings.food.gov.uk