A TESCO store in Bournemouth received a one hygiene rating when it was inspected at the end of 2020.

Tesco Express, in Christchurch Road, was inspected by BCP Council, who found improvement was necessary in the hygienic food handling category, and major improvement was necessary in the management of food safety.

However, the store said the store undergoing a refit meant it fell below its standards.

When judging if the store was compliant with food hygiene and safety procedures, inspectors found food still on display had passed its use by date.

The inspection, conducted on November 17, found pulled pork on display which was to be used by November 7, and brisket which was to be used by November 9.

There was also food on display at temperatures greater than eight degrees.

The duty holder was told they should comply with these requirements immediately and continuously.

Poor organisation of stock on display and poor rotation was also found by inspectors.

They also found that staff were trained but were unaware of temperature indicators and their use, with three indicators highlighted with no escalation.

These faults also required immediate and ongoing action, the inspectors said.

In the bakery area of the store, there was no water or soap and the rear doors to the external area of the store were not pest-proof.

And inspectors revisited the store on December 8, where they gave an improved rating of four.

This time, they found all food on display was within the use-by date and the fridges were operating at temperatures less than five degrees.

Pest proofing also worked and shop floor staff had good awareness of shelf indicators.

A spokesperson for Tesco said: “The initial inspection of our Christchurch Road Express store was carried out as it was undergoing a refit, and unfortunately the disruption meant the store fell below the high standards we set ourselves as a business.

“We quickly addressed the concerns raised, with the store gaining a four-star rating on reinspection.”