Douglas café 'committed to doing better' after low inspection score

A Douglas café has issued a public statement after receiving a low score during routine hygiene rating inspections.

The team at Café Noa at Market Hall say they have done so as they believe in 'taking responsibility and being transparent'.

In a statement, the business says it has not yet received an official report or rating, but that it's working from the feedback shared during the visit, acting 'immediately on the action points raised'.

It says: "The reality is, after over 12 years in business without a single inspection, we became complacent in some admin areas, specifically with our labelling and record-keeping.

"While all our food was labelled, we were advised that more detail was needed on those labels, so we changed that straight away.

"We were also told that although our kitchen was clean and safe to work in, we needed to improve how we document our daily cleaning and temperature checks, something we always do but, hadn’t been logging thoroughly enough. 

"This process has now been formalised and is in the process of being digitised to ensure complete transparency going forward.

"Some minor wear and tear in our workspace was also noted, things like plug sockets and shelving, which were replaced and repaired immediately.

"We’re proud of the food we serve and the standards we hold ourselves to. 

"We run clean kitchens with talented, diligent team members who care deeply about what they do. 

"This has been a wake-up call, and we’ve been treating it with the seriousness it deserves."

The inspection, by DEFA's Environmental Health Unit was not related to Noa Bakehouse, which is independently registered and inspected regularly to UK food manufacturing standards.

The café has thanked 'everyone who continues to support us', saying "we’re committed to doing better and to making sure that our admin practices reflect the quality of our food and the values of our team".