The Fox Inn on Hyde Road in Denchworth was visited by Vale of White Horse’s District Council on August 21, 2024, and given a two-out-of-five food hygiene rating, indicating that improvements were necessary.
In the report, inspectors noted issues such as the presence of insects and flies, with insectocuters being full of dead insects. The open back door suggested that the fly screens were ineffective. The report advised regular cleaning of insectocuters and ensuring pest prevention methods were employed effectively to keep flying insects out of the kitchen.
Another concern was the cleanliness of the pub and the presence of out-of-date food. Inspectors found two bottles of cream past their use-by date, which is an offense. It was recommended that such food be discarded or labeled appropriately and kept separate from other foods.
The report also highlighted dirt around the bar area, with visible cobwebs and dust/dirt on shelves where glasses are stored, and dirty touchpoints like appliance handles. The overall cleanliness suggested that cleaning schedules were not being followed, with repeated contraventions from previous inspections.
Landlords Steve and Emma Davidson, who have run The Fox Inn for 25 years, expressed their commitment to providing good honest food and acknowledged issues were rectified promptly. They noted the challenges of providing pest control reports and other information during the inspection due to their absence at the time.
Steve mentioned the inspections can be inconsistent due to differing viewpoints of various inspectors, noting that some have been more thorough than others. Despite the pub addressing initial issues, a new rating won’t be given until the next full inspection in about a year.
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