A CAFE and supermarket in Headington has been criticised for dirty surfaces, a lack of staff training and potentially dangerous cod.

Madeira Supermarket on the Headington roundabout was given a one-star food hygiene rating from Oxford City Council environmental health officers.

The management were also hit with a legal notice demanding they make improvements, which could have led to a fine or two-year imprisonment.

The council has since revealed that Madeira Cafe has complied with the notice and carried out other works, but would retain its low rating.

Cafe manager Maria Ramos said she was ‘confident’ of a high score and that improvements made were ‘simple things’.

The report read: “Low level cleaning under equipment was poor and the problem was made worse by the fact the kitchen was cluttered with redundant material.

“So as not to attract pests and maintain an adequate standard of hygiene the affected areas must be thoroughly cleaned and the problem not allowed to recur.”

It added: “High-risk ready-to-eat food was being stored at 19C in the display chillers, including amounts of salted and dried cod.

“To avoid the growth of food poisoning bacteria, high-risk food must be stored at or below 8C.

While no evidence of pests was found at the premises officers were concerned vermin could be roaming around in the back yard.

They said: “There was also redundant material in the yard that may provide harbourage to rats and mice.

“Clear the rear yard of all accumulations of building material, household furniture and other refuse.”

The business operates both as a small supermarket and as a cafe serving hot drinks and lunches.

The cafe was rated ‘fair’ when it came to food hygiene and safety and structural compliance but inspectors had ‘little’ confidence in management.

They discovered some members of staff had not received formal food hygiene training ‘for many years’.

High-risk food in the fridges and freezers were not labelled by date and there was no ‘reliable’ method of stock rotation.

The officers have since told the Oxford Mail the cafe has made improvements as suggested but will remain at the one-star rating until a follow up inspection.

They said: “Madeira Cafe has complied with the legal notice that was served and have completed the other works.

“However, they will keep their Food Hygiene Rating until they are inspected again or request a revisit.”