A B&M store in Birmingham has been branded one of the worst in the country after receiving a damning zero hygiene rating from inspectors.
Store Fails to Meet Basic Standards
The branch, located inside The Fort shopping park near Erdington, was inspected on October 27. It was handed the lowest possible score, meaning inspectors deemed urgent improvement was necessary.
Under the Food Standards Agency's scheme, any outlet scoring below a three - which signifies 'generally satisfactory' - is considered to have failed. A zero rating represents the most serious breach of standards.
Among a Handful of Nationwide Failures
At the time of writing on December 2, this Birmingham store was one of only three B&M outlets across the entire UK to hold a zero rating. The other stores with the poorest score were located in Canterbury and Prescot.
This incident marks the second time a Birmingham B&M has received the lowest rating this year, highlighting recurring issues within the area.
Inspectors assess several critical areas to determine the hygiene rating, including:
- How food is handled, prepared, cooked, and stored.
- The overall cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building.
- Management of food safety procedures.
Company Apologises and Promises Action
In response to the critical rating, a B&M spokesperson issued a statement acknowledging the failure. "We have addressed the points raised and have taken swift action to implement all necessary changes in this store," they said.
"We would like to apologise that our policies and strict store standards were not met on this occasion and we're unhappy it occurred," the statement continued.
The company claims to have taken robust action to overhaul standards at the site, including introducing measures intended to prevent a repeat incident. They confirmed the store has been operating as normal since October with what they describe as all correct proofing measures now in place.
For local shoppers, the rating serves as a stark reminder to check hygiene scores, which are publicly available online, before visiting food retailers.
