FILTHY equipment, raw food stored in the wrong place and the risk of wire wool getting into food resulted in a Turkish restaurant a two-star food hygiene rating.

Bar Meze in Headington was considered 'Poor' when it came to Food Hygiene and Safety when Oxford City Council environmental health inspectors visited in November.

A report released this week revealed management had been ordered to clean large parts of the premises, retrain staff and start labelling foods properly.

But hygiene inspectors said they had 'some' confidence in the management to turn things around ahead of a revisit.

Manager Yasir Hanif said he was 'more than certain' he would score a four or five when inspectors return next week.

The report read: "A low level clean is required to the wall and floor, beneath equipment and to the table in the dish wash area.

"As discussed, label foods to ensure stock rotation - we recommend no more than day of cooking plus two.

"You must check temperatures of cold storage and you must record these."

The Turkish bar and restaurant in London Road closed in April last year after being given a possession notice by bailiffs.

It re-opened in August and the manager Yasir Hanif told the Oxford Mail he was 'ecstatic' to be able to serve the city again citing commercial reasons for the temporary closure.

Inspectors then visited in November and detailed a number of improvements management needed to make.

It said: "The handle of the thermometer was filthy.

"You must clean it and provide suitable wipes for disinfection.

"Fridge seals and interior surfaces also require thorough cleaning.

It added: "Wire wool was in a state of deterioration - replace it to prevent physical contamination."

Council health officers also ordered the restaurant to replace a damaged chopping board, paint the kitchen ceiling and - in the long term - repair the dishwasher.

It also said: "At the time of my inspection I found raw food stored above cooked foods, creating a risk of contamination - cooked foods must always be stored above raw."

Mr Hanif said: "All the improvement have been made, in fact around 80 per cent of them were done on the same day after the inspectors left.

"I wasn't there on the day of the inspection so we couldn't produce documents they asked for and the rest was just small things.

"Inspectors are coming back next week and we are more than certain of a four or a five."