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Apr 2021

Last Updated: 23/04/2021

Business

Tesco Express in Harrogate gets lowest mark in council covid checks

by John Plummer

| 26 Apr, 2021

More than 230 supermarkets and shops were assessed for covid compliance in a joint operation between North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council. The Tesco store was the only supermarket to require a follow-up visit.

A Tesco Express in Harrogate received the lowest mark of all supermarkets in the district when unannounced covid checks were carried out.

More than 230 supermarkets and shops were assessed in a joint operation between North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

Trading standards and environmental health officers checked whether they had made their premises covid-secure and followed regulations.

Premises were graded using a traffic light system, with green lights given to the most compliant and red lights to businesses where a number of issues were flagged up.

All supermarkets received either green or amber lights, with the exception of Tesco Express on Knaresborough Road.

The inspector who visited that store on February 8 noted "poor and infrequent cleaning", "lack of cleaning products for the in-store Costa Coffee" and "cashier not wearing mask but was advised she was exempt". Another comment said:

"Felt I was being given lip service."

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A spokeswoman for Harrogate Borough Council said:

"With regards to the Tesco on Knaresborough Road; a follow up visit was undertaken, the site had followed up on the issues raised and it was found to be compliant and following government guidance.

"No further action was necessary and we were satisfied with the measures that had been put in place."

A Tesco spokesman said:

“We are following government guidance in stores to ensure that all our colleagues are wearing face coverings, unless they cannot do so for medical or safety reasons.”

Information released after FoI request

North Yorkshire County Council issued a press release in February about the visit but initially refused to reveal details of individual inspections.

However, after a request made under the Freedom of Information Act by the Stray Ferret it did release its findings.

The Stray Ferret's investigation focused solely on supermarkets.

Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, said in the press release:

“Many supermarkets and other essential retailers have made huge efforts during the whole of lockdown to make their shops covid-secure.

“Across the whole county we have found breaches by only a handful of retailers.

“North Yorkshire’s shoppers can have real confidence that the vast majority of retail premises are covid-safe in our county, that they carry out proper cleaning procedures and that regulations about the wearing of face masks, hand sanitising and keeping a social distance are properly applied and patrolled.”

Checks were carried out in December and January.

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Tesco Express in Harrogate gets lowest mark in council covid checks

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Information released after FoI request