THE owner of a cafe given a zero rating by the Food Standards Agency has defended her business.
Muberra Bignell, who runs Hot Spot in Croydon Road, Caterham, says it was a paperwork issue which earned her the low mark and claims the problem has now been rectified.
Last week, the Mirror reported how the Food Standards Agency had given Hot Spot a zero out of five, meaning "urgent improvement" is needed, but Ms Bignell claims the score is not a fair rating.
She told the Mirror: "My cafe is very, very family-orientated, my customers feel like they are at home. The score is nothing to do with the hygiene.
"When I first took over the business, I did not have all the paperwork. The lady who inspected me told me everything was fine but I was given a zero because she said I was not recording the temperature on the fridge. You can be spotless but if you don't put the fridge temperature down on the right form you will get a zero."
Ms Bignell says her fridges had temperature gages, but now she is recording them. She is awaiting a reinspection from an environmental health officer.
