Michelin-starred pub hit with poor hygiene rating after mould found in fridge

Independent

10-04-2025

A Michelin-starred gastro pub visited by celebrities has been hit with a poor hygiene rating in their latest inspection.
Award-winning establishment The Sportsman, near Whitstable in Kent, has been issued a food hygiene rating of two out of five after several issues were spotted in the kitchen.
The concerns raised by the Food Standards Agency included 'dirt and mould on the ceiling in the walk-in refrigerator', and pickled cucumber being stored in a 'heavily stained jug'.
The report also cited dirt and mould 'inside a door within an under-counter refrigerator', and members of staff eating in the kitchen, wearing leather bracelets and having cloths over their shoulders.
The pub's site owner, Shepherd Neame, said the pub took 'immediate action to address all issues identified' in the report and management has since applied for a rescore in the near future.
The agency report, seen by The Independent, also notes that areas such as on the sides of fridges, the office door and table legs were in need of more thorough cleaning and that two dirty chopping boards were being used.
However, the inspector still concluded that the pub had a 'satisfactory food safety management system', but 'staff were not carrying out all the identified controls at critical points'.
The inspector noted that staff were not carrying out key food contamination controls, such as the daily diary not being completed every day in February and the need for an allergen review.
The pub was also advised to carry out professional pest prevention - despite not seeing any pests at the site.
The Sportsman has gained a stellar reputation since it was taken over by brothers Stephen and Phil Harris in 1999.
It has managed to keep its one Michelin-star since it was awarded in 2008, and in 2015, it was crowned the best gastropub in the UK by alcohol brand Estrella Damm.
Gary Lineker, Paul Hollywood and Amanda Holden among the famous faces who have dined at the pub, which was also named restaurant of the year in 2024 by the Good Food Guide.
Diners wishing to experience the restaurant's locally-sourced dishes can expect to pay £85 for a five-course tasting menu featuring dishes such as roast venison with red wine sauce & smoked celeriac and linguine with black truffle.
A Canterbury County Council spokesperson said: "Our experienced Environmental Health Officers are working closely with the management of The Sportsman following the issues raised during their inspection.
"The business took the points our officer made very seriously and we are pleased to say good progress has been made in addressing the concerns.
"The Sportsman has applied for a reinspection and we expect it to improve its score significantly when we visit in the next few weeks."