A pub owner feared her Bourne End business would “go bust” after a paperwork error left the eatery with a poor hygiene rating and was forced to wait months before a re-inspection.

Amanda Lillitou, who owns The Garibaldi in Hedsor Road, has hit out at Wycombe District Council for taking “too long” to return to the pub for a re-inspection, leaving their food hygiene rating of one – meaning major improvement is necessary – hanging over them for months.

Mrs Lillitou, who owns the popular village pub with her husband Chris, said the poor rating was a result of their paperwork not being up-to-date after a recent change of chef.

After addressing the problems – including getting new chef, Stuart Smart, to complete a food hygiene course - she requested a re-inspection “as soon as possible” on November 7 last year and then again on January 25 but received a response from WDC saying it would happen “when resources allow.”  

The pub owner, who also owns the Jolly Cricketers in Seer Green, decided to speak out following the release of a list of 60 restaurants with the worst hygiene ratings by the Bucks Free Press last week.

She said: “We acted on the report immediately and took it very seriously. We addressed all the issues straight away and asked for a re-inspection.

“As a business owner it is very frustrating that we’re stuck with this one rating because the council won’t come back and re-inspect. I feel it is far too long. If we had everything put back in place why should they hold that score over us? We could go bust over this.

“This could send a restaurant out of business, it is mental. It is so wrong. We are employing local people, we use local produce. We have had people cancelling their bookings.

“This information is all freely available on the council website, I get why the Bucks Free Press published it. But if we addressed the problems immediately, why should we have this hanging over us?

“Our other pub, the Jolly Cricketers in Seer Green is under the Chiltern district and they are much more efficient, I just can’t understand why Wycombe has this problem.”

Mrs Lillitou has now confirmed that an inspector had finally been to re-visit the popular pub within the last few days.

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council has reassured business owners they take food hygiene ratings “very seriously” and reminded them that it is the responsibility of businesses to comply with requirements.

She said: “The Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme incorporates safeguards to ensure fairness to businesses, including the mechanism for requesting a re-inspection or a re-visit for the purposes of re-rating when improvements have been made.

“With a request for a re-inspection, a business also needs to provide evidence of the actions being taken to address the contraventions. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Brand Standard allows for re-inspections to take place within three months of a request being received.

“In addition, there is a standstill period of three months following an inspection where a re-visit should not take place. This is all clearly stated on the form which businesses complete when requesting a re-inspection.

“We will not comment on Mrs Lillitou’s specific case and the food hygiene rating for her premises, other than to confirm that a re-inspection was requested in November and has taken place within the last week.

“The food hygiene rating will be publicly available within 36 days in line with the Brand Standard and the appeal period available to businesses.”