food hygiene

BBC undercover investigation again highlights Waltham Forest’s appalling food hygiene standards, raising doubts about whether LBWF is carrying out its responsibility for enforcement

October 7, 2024 food hygiene, LBWF spin

It’s a well established fact that Waltham Forest has serious food hygiene problems, being home to, as of September 2024, the highest percentage of food businesses in England and Wales rated zero to two stars on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) zero to five star rating system. But today the BBC publishes the results of an undercover operation that makes the problem look even worse than so far has been imagined. Because what the BBC establishes is that, on the ground, fiddling the star system is ‘rife’. Earlier this year, it visited a number of businesses in the Leyton area, and found that no les... »

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LBWF’s fiefdom: ‘borough of culture’ or borough of dysentery?

February 16, 2023 Cllr. Clyde Loakes, food hygiene, LBWF spin

One recurring theme in LBWF’s endless self-promotion is that, thanks to the Town Hall’s efforts, Waltham Forest is an unusually appealing place, the borough of ‘the Stow’ and ‘the Stone’, ‘quirky, individual creative businesses’, a vibrant night-time economy, and an exciting and diverse ‘cultural offer’, in short, a honeypot for what one of LBWF’s more influential consultants calls ‘the rising prosperity’ demographic. Yet the amusing thing is how often reality intrudes, how often the glittering images collide with the tawdry realities. In 2021, the Evening Standard reported that... »

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Cllr. Clyde Loakes and food standards: Waltham Forest revealed to be London’s least hygienic borough when it comes to visiting eateries, pubs, and supermarkets

August 19, 2021 Cllr. Clyde Loakes, food hygiene, LBWF spin

Every now and again, Cllr. Clyde Loakes, the relevant Cabinet portfolio holder, pops up in local media, and assures residents that LBWF is taking food hygiene very seriously. Thus, earlier this year, when LBWF closed three restaurants down, he opined ‘“This sends a very clear signal to that small minority of food businesses which think they can flout the law…We want residents in Waltham Forest to be able to order their food with confidence that it has been prepared in a safe and clean environment. There is no excuse for standards to drop and I hope that restaurant owners and their suppliers pa... »

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