Hygiene inspectors found shelving “dirty with black mould growing on it” due to a “poor” standard of cleaning at one of a town’s biggest supermarkets, according to a recently-released report.
Sainsbury’s in Romney Place, Maidstone, was given a two-star rating after being downgraded from five stars by the council’s environmental team earlier this year.
Health inspectors say the mould was “widespread” throughout the store. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
In May, KentOnline reported how the supermarket had been slapped with the poor hygiene score after a complaint made by a member of the public prompted a visit from inspectors.
Now, the council’s findings can be published after we obtained the full report through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Sainsbury’s says immediate action has been taken to put things right, and the supermarket is currently awaiting a rescore.
The environmental health report says that during an initial visit on April 24, inspectors found cleaning procedures at the store had “not been followed for some time”.
Shocking pictures show food displays ridden with mould in fridge and freezer sections near meat, ready meals and tinned products.
The health officer wrote: “The shelving was dirty and had black mould growing on it. This was widespread throughout the store.”
They added: “I questioned what cleaning procedures were in place and whether there were any cleaning schedules for staff.
“Your food manager said that the policy is to clean and clear as you go and that only the high-risk food areas had cleaning schedules.
Black mould on suspended ceiling tiles above the bakery. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
“It was clear from my first visit that staff were not cleaning as they go and that the shelves were being replenished without cleaning.”
Black mould was also found on the suspended ceiling tiles above the bakery, and around the walls, sink and ovens in the rotisserie.
Meanwhile, the internal bins were in a dirty condition “beyond cleaning” and were in need of replacement.
The store’s boiler was also broken, so the supermarket had put in temporary hot water facilities in high-risk areas. These provided mobile hand wash basins and urns for hot water.
But no date had been given for the boiler repair, which inspectors expressed concerns over “given the standard of cleaning in store”.
The internal bins were dirty “beyond cleaning”. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
After a follow-up visit a week later, on May 1, the environmental health officer found the supermarket was still in “the same dirty condition”.
As improvements to the level of cleanliness had not been made, the store was downgraded from a five-star hygiene rating to two.
The inspector said: “Whilst I understand that you have had a changeover in store manager, this is not an excuse for poor cleaning, and it can be clearly shown that procedures have not been followed for some time.”
In the report dated May 6, the council’s environmental health team issued Sainsbury’s a list of improvements to be carried out in order for it to comply with food safety and hygiene legislation.
Sainsbury’s in Maidstone town centre. Picture: Google Street View
It said an enforcement revisit would take place about a month later, “to determine compliance with the legal requirements raised”.
Details of that follow-up visit have not been released, but the report noted that whether improvements had been made or not, Sainsbury’s two-star rating would remain.
As of August 27, 2024, the store had previously held a hygiene score of five according to the Food Safety Agency.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “Food safety is our highest priority and around 95% of our stores hold a five-star Food Hygiene Rating.
“On the rare occasion a store does not meet our usual high standards, we will take immediate action to put things right, as we’ve done at our Maidstone supermarket, which is currently awaiting a rescore.”