Food Standards Agency rates Monsoori Heights, Moody Cow farm shop, Elm Tree and Gun Inn as zero star

A POPULAR Milford pub is one of five eateries in the Forest to be given zero star food safety ratings by district council inspectors.

The Gun Inn at Keyhaven was given the damning rating following a routine but unannounced food hygiene inspection.

Other businesses with zero stars include Monsoori Heights in Milford High Street, Moody Cow farm shop at Gouldings Farm in Salisbury Road, Ringwood, The Elm Tree in Hightown Road, Ringwood, and Family House in Commercial Road, Totton - which has now closed.

A spokesperson for New Forest District Council told the A&T: “With regard to the food hygiene inspections of The Gun and The Elm Tree in Ringwood, urgent improvements with regard to food handling practices, structure, cleanliness and food safety management were required.

“Further ongoing action is being undertaken with both businesses to ensure improvements are being achieved and implemented.”

A spokesperson for the Gun Inn said: “During our latest inspection in January we were informed that due to changes we made to our newly installed kitchen in February 2023, our outside grill area was now no longer deemed as outside and as such required structural improvement.

“These findings impacted our previous good scores greatly and as such we immediately stopped using the area and adapted our offering to come from our brand new main kitchen.

“The work required to rectify the grill area has now been completed and we are applying for reinspection where we hope we will attain our previous good rating.

“We take a great deal of pride in what we as a team produce and would welcome any customer who may have concerns to pop in and see for themselves the high standards we strive for and attain at The Gun.”

A food safety report written in November about Milford Indian restaurant Monsoori Heights said 19 separate areas of its kitchen required “deep cleaning” and highlighted evidence of rodent activity on the premises. The kitchen’s extraction system was missing its filter, increasing the risk of a fire, the inspector added.

Inspectors found several areas of the kitchen requiring repairs, including its hand washing basin, shelving, ceiling and a dry store room.

They also found plastic containers in use that were old and damaged, food preparation surfaces that were not properly disinfected and damaged electrical sockets.

Monsoori Heights still had a zero star rating on the Food Standards Agency’s website at the time of publication.

A spokesperson for the business said: “Monsoori Heights holds a high standard in regards to quality and service in all aspects of our business and it is reflected in our years of highly rated reviews received by local and holiday customers.

“We have been in Milford for almost seven years now and build a reputation of a highly rated restaurant winning multiple TripAdvisor awards.”

The business is appealing its zero star rating, the spokesperson added.

A food safety inspection report written in August about the Moody Cow farm shop said officers found spider webs on the premises, some with spiders in them.

Inspectors also noted two side doors on the premises were “poorly fitted” with gaps underneath that could allow pests to enter.

Staff were found using an undercounter area as storage for packs of meat, contrary to food safety laws, said inspectors, who also said conditions in the rear wash-up room were “unclean”.

Moody Cow farm shop is still listed as a zero star business requiring “urgent improvement” on the Food Standards Agency website.

A spokesperson for the business told the A&T the eatery was recently re-inspected, following a change of ownership, and they are hopeful it will soon be re-rated at five stars.

An NFDC spokesperson told the A&T Family House in Totton was given a zero rating by officers in October due to serious breaches of food hygiene legislation, and whilst action was being pursued by the council, the business closed.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and are working with the owner to offer our support.”

The A&T has approached the owners of The Elm Tree, and the former owners of Family House, for a comment.