THE owner of a Thai restaurant in Hereford has sought to reassure customers that significant improvements have been made following a damning food safety report.

As reported in last week's Hereford Times, Thai on Wye in West Street was given a zero food hygiene rating after Herefordshire Council inspectors carried out a routine inspection at the restaurant.

Concerns about pest control and cleanliness were raised during the inspection on September 6 last year.

Kritsakorn Tangjaritsakul, owner and head chef of Thai on Wye, said: "The inspectors came back the next day. We worked 24 hours to do everything possible.

"We then received the enforcement authority certificate that confirmed the council is satisfied that we have taken sufficient measures.

"Twenty-four hours later and we were given the all clear."

The certificate from Herefordshire Council, dated September 7, said that the health risk condition no longer exists at the restaurant and sufficient measures had been carried out.

The restaurant was closed for a day while the work was carried out and then allowed to re-open due to the improvements made.

Mr Tangjaritsakul said they are still making more improvements and they have applied to Herefordshire Council for a revisit, which he hopes will be within the next few weeks.

He added: "It was a one-off."

Mr Tangjaritsakul has worked at Thai on Wye for seven years and has owned it for the last two years. He said he is still in touch with the previous owners.

He added: "We think the world of our customers.

"We just want customers to know we have done everything possible to satisfy the requirements.

"We want to apologise to our customers for their concern."

He said regular pest control checks are carried out at the restaurant.

Mr Tangjaritsakul said they did not comment in last week's article as they were not ready to comment at the time.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said: “When a premises is poorly rated the environmental health officer will determine when re-visits are required. In such circumstances, several visits are carried out and the rating will not be adjusted on each visit.

“Once a business has made the necessary improvements they have a right to request a re-visit to re-asses the food hygiene rating, which is done using a standard form. A re-visit may only be carried out following a three month period following the initial inspection known as a ‘stand still’ period, put in place to ensure a business does not make quick improvements which are not sustained.

“Provided the ‘stand still’ period has elapsed, a re-visit will be arranged within three months of receipt of the re-visit request form. The restaurant in question has been provided with a re-visit request form.”