A well-known South London farm shop owned by a prominent businessman has been handed a disappointing one-star food hygiene rating. The Black Farmer Shop, located in Brixton Village, is the brainchild of Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, widely recognized as ‘The Black Farmer.’
Inspection Details
Environmental health officers from Lambeth Council conducted the inspection on March 14 this year. The report indicated that the cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, as well as hygienic food handling, were ‘generally satisfactory.’ However, the management of food safety was deemed to require ‘major improvement.’
Company Response
A spokesperson for The Black Farmer Shop expressed disappointment over the rating, especially given the shop’s history of maintaining a 5-star rating. They stated: “While our physical standards for food quality remain high, the report identified inconsistencies in manual record-keeping and staff adherence to certain operational protocols.”
In response, the company has implemented a comprehensive overhaul of its processes. A new digital food safety management system has been introduced, replacing manual, paper-based diaries. This automated system aims to eliminate human error and provide real-time oversight of all safety protocols.
The spokesperson added: “We’re confident that our new systems make our operations more robust than ever. We are now preparing for a formal re-inspection and look forward to the restoration of our 5-star rating. Our customers’ safety and confidence remain our absolute priority.”
The shop is now working diligently to address the issues and regain its top-tier rating, ensuring that customers can continue to enjoy their products with peace of mind.
