AN OXFORD hotel has been criticised after food hygiene inspectors found 'greasy' kitchen equipment, 'poor knowledge' from staff and no evidence daily kitchen checks had been done in months.

The Victoria Hotel was given an overall rating of one star, the second lowest possible score and which means ‘major improvement necessary’, when the Oxford City Council team visited on July 26.

A catalogue of issues were highlighted during this inspection to do with a lack of evidence the hotel was following legally required food hygiene procedures.

A report states: “There is a poor knowledge of food hygiene. Staff must complete Level Two food hygiene training. This can be done online.

“Daily checks had not been recorded since March. These checks must be completed daily.”

The report added that initially inspectors could find no evidence of an allergy matrix, a document that lists all the dishes offered by a business and what allergens they contain, but that one was completed by the end of the visit.

It also criticised the cleanliness of parts of the kitchen, stating: "The filters on the extraction fan were very greasy. Clean these filters.”

Despite the problems, the business was given a top score in the food hygiene and safety category - one of three factors which makes up the overall rating and which relates to food handling practices and procedures, and temperature control.

But officers were so troubled by the lack of evidence for checks and staff training they said they had ‘little’ confidence in management.

This means the hygiene officers found there to be a 'poor appreciation of hazards and control measures' and there was no food safety management system in place.

On its website, the hotel, which is priced from £66 per night for a single en-suite room, boasts being ‘ideally situated’ for guests, being 15 minutes on foot for those wanting to ‘explore this magical city’.

It adds: “Our staff will do their very best to ensure that your stay is comfortable and enjoyable."

Guests are also told they can expect a 'good old-fashioned feast' each morning during their stay.

Food offered by the hotel is a full range of breakfast items from a buffet, with fresh fruit salad, croissants and toast among the spread.

This is followed by food 'cooked to order' on the grill and includes everything from fried egg, bacon and sausages to kippers.

The Victoria Hotel’s management was given the opportunity to comment on the rating and report but did not respond.