Sakura Japanese restaurant in Bury St Edmunds receives hygiene rating of five after 'disappointing' zero

A Japanese restaurant in a Suffolk town has been handed a food hygiene rating of five after they were hit with a 'disappointing' zero at the end of last year.

Sakura, based in Cupola House, Bury St Edmunds, was given the inadequate rating after concerns were raised following an inspection on December 29.

Head waiter Alfie said issues with paperwork after a change of staff were mainly to blame for the low rating.

"It was all a bit of a mess. In the first inspection a member of staff said he didn't know where the paperwork was, which led to our low rating," he explained.

He said some of the labelling in the kitchen was not understandable to inspectors, and they deemed the restaurant needed to improve its step-by-step handling and storing procedure for food.

"It was very disappointing and I worked really hard to change it," he said.

"I've put in so much work over the last six months to get it back to where it was. It was very much a relief when we found out."

He said, while the restaurant had to be taken off of Uber Eats delivery service due to it's rating, they did not miss out on too much business while it was low.

The re-inspection took place on Friday, March 10, and Alfie and his team were awarded a hygiene rating of five.

"The team just feels a lot better now, we all feel proud and it is a great feeling," he said.