Middlesbrough restaurant keeps five-star hygiene rating for 40 years

Cafe Central Park – located opposite the Cenotaph and Albert Park on Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough – has kept its five out of five “very good” hygiene rating, with the business setting out how they sustain their high standards.

A spokesperson explained that the restaurant has held their top rating for 40 years, saying: “The restaurant has been open since December 1985 and we’ve always had a five star hygiene rating.” 

Many businesses on Linthorpe Road and throughout the town struggle to gain and retain top ratings.

When asked how Central Park ensures success, the spokesperson said: “A lot of our staff have been here for a very long time, a lot of them – especially chefs – 30 plus years and the owners are very hands-on. So a combination of those two things mainly.”

More generally, it was added that managers and owners have “exceptionally high standards”.

The areas inspected were hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of the facilities and the building, as well as the management of food safety.

Officers from Middlesbrough Council carried out the inspection last month, on Thursday, February 26, with Food Standards Agency ratings ranging from zero (urgent improvement necessary) to five (very good).

The restaurant was found to have a “good” standard in all three inspected areas, resulting in an overall rating of five – “very good”.

Broken down into individual categories, the hygienic handling of food includes preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.

When assessing the cleanliness of the facilities, inspectors look for an appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control.

Food safety management requires a system or checks to be in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, as well as evidence that staff know about food safety – the food safety officer must have confidence that standards will be maintained in future.