A popular Kidlington restaurant has received a shocking zero hygiene rating after a recent inspection revealed serious cleanliness issues
Kidlington: Ovisher, a beloved spot on Oxford Road, has been around since 1981. Locals and visitors have always raved about it on Tripadvisor.
But things took a turn when the Environmental Health team from Cherwell District Council paid a visit on November 27, 2024.
They were not impressed at all, giving the restaurant a zero-out-of-five rating and saying it needed urgent improvements.
One big issue was the lack of proper handwashing facilities for the staff, especially when handling raw meat.
The report noted that there wasn’t even a designated wash hand basin. Instead, there were colanders and scourers in the sinks.
When inspectors asked staff to wash their hands after handling raw chicken, they didn’t seem to grasp why it was important.
Some staff even washed their hands in the washing-up sink, and when they did, it was just a quick rinse without soap.
To make matters worse, there were no hand-drying materials available, and the blue roll they found was damp.
Cross-contamination was another major concern, posing a food poisoning risk to customers.
Inspectors saw staff washing chicken and then pouring the water down the sink without cleaning the area afterward.
Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can easily spread to other surfaces and food.
They emphasized that washing raw meat is a big no-no and pointed out that some plastic containers were damaged, making them hard to clean.
Damage to kitchen equipment was also flagged, like a broken chest freezer lid that couldn’t be properly sanitized.
The Oxford Mail reached out to Ovisher for a comment on the inspection but didn’t get a response.
It’s a tough situation for a place that’s been a community favorite for so long.
