Popular Durham ball venue Ramside Hall given one star food hygiene rating

We’re no stranger to a low hygiene rating here in Durham. Even our Café Nero isn’t a five, and let’s not even get into the college kitchens. But it comes as a shock to find out that Ramside Hall Hotel, a venue students pay upwards of £50 to eat at, was given a one star hygiene rating in its latest inspection.

Ramside Hall is a popular choice for college and society balls, being just a stone’s throw from the University itself. It  was most recently the location of the JoBo Winter Ball, where “Braised feather blade steak, wild mushroom bourgignon garnish and truffle oil mash” was served as the main course… We love a hygienically prepared steak.

The official FSA report states that Ramside Hall’s 4 kitchens need “necessary major improvements” on their management of food safety; it outlines the cleanliness and conditions of the facilities as “needing improvement”, but the hygienic handling of food is “generally satisfactory” so not all is lost…

Information obtained by the Northern Echo details the mould found in a refrigerator, dirty floors, food debris and grease in both food storage and preparation areas, food left uncovered risking bacteria growth as well as ‘grimy’ appliances that had gone unwashed. While we can’t say our own kitchens are much cleaner, it’s not what you expect from a 4* hotel.

A spokesperson for Ramside Hall Hotel stated: “Following an inspection at Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa by the Environmental Health Officer, the company immediately addressed the action points and all structural works noted within the inspection”.

The venues hygiene rating will be reviewed again in three weeks pending the improvements that are said to be underway.