My Village Stores: Dirty Kitchen, No Hand-Washing Found in Rolvenden

A local store needs to clean up, it seems. The health inspectors came and were not impressed. This store is My Village Stores in Rolvenden, near Tenterden, in case you know the area. They got a one-star rating, which means “major improvement is necessary,” according to Ashford Borough Council.

The inspectors found some issues at the store. Staff lacked proper training in food safety, and dirty conditions existed in the kitchen areas. People weren’t washing hands before or after cooking, so food prep happened without proper hygiene.

Allergens could easily contaminate the food because they used one board for everything. Also, they didn’t label food with expiration dates. Sausage rolls and cakes lacked proper date labels, along with cooked meat and salad.

Walls, floors, and ceilings were dirty. Food prep areas and sinks were also not clean at all. The chopping board and meat slicer needed a scrub, and some repairs were needed to the sink and floor.

The store has been around for many years, open for 43 years straight. The shop sells groceries and fresh foods, and even has a post office inside. Sadly, a food handler had no hygiene training, so they must quickly fix these problems.

Inspectors said staff lacked food safety knowledge. They must train every food handler working there well, ensuring they know all the hygiene rules. Right now, the store is working to improve and expects a re-inspection soon, later this month.

The shop owner didn’t want to comment on anything. You can check food ratings on the Food Standards Agency site. A report looked at nearby restaurants too, and it showed poor display of hygiene scores overall.