Grays Court Hotel in York gains one star food hygiene rating

Helen Heraty of Grays Court Hotel says this is the first time in 15 years the hotel has not received five stars. Changes have also been made to ensure the kitchens return to the highest standards.

The shock rating, which means ‘Major Improvement Necessary’ follows a visit by City of York Council inspectors on October 27.

The inspector's report noted matters including risks of cross-contamination from incidents like a bag of raw beef fillet touching a bag of caviar in the fridge and a lack of handwashing between dirty and clean tasks.

There were also items like chilli jam past their use by date and a 2kg tub of hummus with no such date on.

Some utensils needed better cleaning and there were dirty fridge seals and touch points.

The report noted "a lack of staff awareness of food safety systems" with marking sheets not complete.

"The chef was not clear when asked what he was ticking for," it said. 

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The Food Standards Agency website, which uses council data, reports ‘improvement necessary’ for hygienic food handling.

The cleanliness and condition of the building and facilities were ‘generally satisfactory.’

However, for management of food safety, it said ‘major improvement necessary.’

Helen Heraty said: “We have always had amazing feedback from guests who have dined with us so I was really taken aback with the result of our last inspection, that this could have happened is awful and I feel personally responsible.  That I was not as vigilant as I should have been.  

“There was clearly a significant lapse at the time of the inspection, the first time we have not scored a 5 since we opened over 15 years ago, and I am determined that an incident like this will not happen again.

“We carried out a review and a comprehensive investigation.  Affirmative actions have been taken where necessary, with all our systems and procedures are firmly in place to ensure that we meet and maintain the highest standards.”

Helen added: “I do hope that people who know and love Grays Court are assured that their experience and enjoyment will not be compromised.  Our reviews and feedback are testament to our strengths as one of York’s leading hotels.   We have requested a re-inspection from the EHO at their earliest convenience”.

Grays Court was built around 900 years ago as the official residence for the Treasurers of York Minster. It was also home to the Gray family for 200 years.

Helen and partner John Edwards bought the property in 2005, when it had no electricity and no heating, opening the country house retreat in 2011.

The business progressed and prospered earning accolades including Visit England making it their Best Small Hotel in 2020.

It has a reputation for attracting top chefs, with current head chef being Ian Doyle, joining in the summer. Former head chef Adam Jackson is now at the Old Deanery in Ripon.

The Bow Room Restaurant earned a Michelin Plate in 2021. Earlier this month, it made the Harden’s Guide.

TripAdvisor ranks the restaurant 120th out of 571 York restaurants, awarding it 5-stars. The website also ranks the hotel 10th out of 52 York hotels, giving it 4.5 stars.