THE manager of a Bangladeshi restaurant given a food hygiene rating of zero out of five has branded the decision unfair.

The Al Khyam restaurant in Playfield Road, Kennington, was last month given the lowest score possible by environmental health officers from Vale of White Horse District Council.

In a report of the inspection issued on Thursday, numerous issues and problems were highlighted.

These included unwrapped chicken carcasses left in a freezer, filthy clothes, frozen legs of lamb and prawns left defrosting outside – and oil on the walls, floor and ceiling.

The manager of Al Khyam, Abdul Hamid, said the first he learned of the rating was when he was contacted by the Oxford Mail.

He said: “They are coming in next Thursday. They just said some work needs to be done. I do feel that was unfair.

I did not know they were giving us a food hygiene rating.

“I do not know about this.

My restaurant’s standards are pretty good.”

But Vale of White Horse District Council said it informed the restaurant it would receive a rating following the inspection. A spokesman said: “During every inspection of a premises, we inform the business that they will receive a food hygiene standards rating as a result.

It’s also featured on the associated paperwork.”

The report also stated: “Mackerel was defrosting in warm water or sink.

“Disinfectants were not being used to clean and disinfect surfaces and equipment between tasks, including the preparation of raw meat.

“[There was] inadequate cooling of foods as foods were being cooled on the hob.

“Frozen boxes of legs of lamb and prawns were outside at ambient temperature.

“Open, unwrapped chicken carcasses were in the chest freezer.

“The following areas were very oily and require cleaning: Walls, floors and ceiling; mould growth behind flour bins; underneath and behind equipment; shelving; hard contact surfaces; fridges and freezers.”

According to the Food Standards Agency, which inspects premises on behalf of the council, businesses given a hygiene rating of zero or one must make “urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards”.

Currently Oxford City Council and Vale of White Horse District Council both have seven restaurants listed with a zero hygiene rating and South Oxfordshire District Council has two.

Food rating website Just Eat gave Al Khyam an average rating of five stars out of six based on 39 reviews.