Cherry Blossom closed by the FSAI.

chalky_ie

Lams takeaway is by far the best takeaway in greystones

gflood

A premisies can be closed for many reasons, Nothing to do with food safety. For example the kitchen coud be too small. While they manage food hygiene well it may not conform to HACCP, I was working in a place once where we didnt display our HACCP sheets and they threatened to close it. And its true that you should go to a premise after reopening as you can be sure it meets the standards (unlike others who have not be spot checked). Also with regard to CB I think the food there has imporved very much recently (I believe some chefs were replaced).

darter

gflood wrote: »

A premisies can be closed for many reasons, Nothing to do with food safety. For example the kitchen coud be too small. While they manage food hygiene well it may not conform to HACCP, I was working in a place once where we didnt display our HACCP sheets and they threatened to close it. And its true that you should go to a premise after reopening as you can be sure it meets the standards (unlike others who have not be spot checked). Also with regard to CB I think the food there has imporved very much recently (I believe some chefs were replaced).

Guesswork and conjecture is leading us nowhere. Given that the majority of reasons for issuing a Closure Order are to do with Food Hygiene, the safe, prudent and logical choice is to avoid this outlet, regardless of the quality of the kitchen staff, until such time as the owner comes clean about why he received the Closure Order and what he did in response.

Perhaps those of you who are brave enough can ask him next time you order from there - as in both brave enough to eat the food and also brave enough to ask.

dr ro

nobody's mentioned asian scent. We've eaten from there many times and never any complaints. Didn't like kilcoole or one although only tried them once. Bad first impressions. Indian spice is a regular too, a bit annoying there though cause their recession buster, cheaper prices is actually just smaller portions! A bit cheeky.

Cryos

loobylou wrote: »

Agree

And if memory services its been closed a few times over the past few years (not sure if its health and safety related or not) and has reappeared under different names.....

dubsgirl

dr ro wrote: »

nobody's mentioned asian scent. We've eaten from there many times and never any complaints. Didn't like kilcoole or one although only tried them once. Bad first impressions. Indian spice is a regular too, a bit annoying there though cause their recession buster, cheaper prices is actually just smaller portions! A bit cheeky.

I agree! And actually the clampdown specials are getting smaller all the time:mad:

ciaran67

dubsgirl wrote: »

I agree! And actually the clampdown specials are getting smaller all the time:mad:

After being back in UK and paying 15 quid for a curry it is annoying to pay twice as much. Having said that it is very good. Just wish they'd cook their spuds a bit longer!

Shoelaces

conor-w wrote: »

Lams takeaway is by far the best takeaway in greystones

Completely and utterly agree

The Real B-man

Cryos wrote: »

And if memory services its been closed a few times over the past few years (not sure if its health and safety related or not) and has reappeared under different names.....

I think its just been a change of ownership through out the years it used to be a Chipper Teasys takeaway back in the day

Merrilady

Shoelaces wrote: »

Completely and utterly agree

Me too

Cryos

The Real B-man wrote: »

I think its just been a change of ownership through out the years it used to be a Chipper Teasys takeaway back in the day

Good stuff

I still wouldnt be stumbling from byrnes or lee's for it :P

Blandpebbles

Asian scent?? You mean the home of processed ham and uncle bens noodles.

Had food from the cherry blossom on Saturday. Lovely.

irlirishkev

Jesus I love the food from the Cherry Blossom. Grew up getting take out from there. Shocked when I heard it had to close, but sod it, I never got sick from eating their food and I was never disapointed.

I did notice the portions had gotten slightly smaller recently though..

Mitch Connor

irlirishkev wrote: »

Jesus I love the food from the Cherry Blossom. Grew up getting take out from there. Shocked when I heard it had to close, but sod it, I never got sick from eating their food and I was never disapointed.

I did notice the portions had gotten slightly smaller recently though..

They were not closed because of people getting sick or something like that. the FSAI decided that their kitchen was too small - so the place was closed while the kitchen was enlarged. That is all that has changed.

loyatemu

Mitch Connor wrote: »

They were not closed because of people getting sick or something like that. the FSAI decided that their kitchen was too small - so the place was closed while the kitchen was enlarged. That is all that has changed.

you got a source for that Mitch?

Macy0161

Why would the FSAI close a kitchen because of the size?

thecommander

Macy0161 wrote: »

Why would the FSAI close a kitchen because of the size?

They wouldn't.

Conan The Contrarian

Mitch is correct about the reason for the closure. It had NOTHING to do with food hygiene or customer safety, and everything to do with a potential health & safety risk to his kitchen staff. I spoke with the owner, Ray Chung, last week and he confirmed that it was because the authorities felt there was a potential H&S issue for his chefs over the size of their workspace. Basically, the old kitchen was considered to be too small if things got really busy and you had 3 or 4 chefs working in there simultaneously, potentially bumping into each other with pots of boiling water, oil, etc. A couple of months back, he was asked to extend the kitchen accordingly, but never got round to it. Big mistake, for which he is now paying the price. When the inspectors came by again and saw the changes hadn't been implemented, they closed him down. That place has been going for about 25 years, first under his father and now under Ray, and had built up a great reputation in Greystones and beyond for quality food at good prices. It would be a real pity if it were to lose all its business now because of some ill-founded, ill-informed and ignorant rumours about the reason for the closure.

Blandpebbles

Conan, Well put!! Exactly what I was trying to say but wasn't at liberty to divulge.

The Cherry Blossom is an institution in Greystones... long may it continue

loyatemu

Conan The Contrarian wrote: »

It would be a real pity if it were to lose all its business now because of some ill-founded, ill-informed and ignorant rumours about the reason for the closure.

well, if the FSAI don't put the specific reason on their website then there is bound to be speculation and people will assume the worst (after all their primary role is assuring "Food Safety") - he should have been aware of the how the system operates and paid more attention to the initial warning.

I'd imagine he's lost a fair bit of business - perhaps he should distribute a few flyers with an explanation and discount vouchers to get people back?

Conan The Contrarian

loyatemu wrote: »

well, if the FSAI don't put the specific reason on their website then there is bound to be speculation and people will assume the worst (after all their primary role is assuring "Food Safety") - he should have been aware of the how the system operates and paid more attention to the initial warning.

I'd imagine he's lost a fair bit of business - perhaps he should distribute a few flyers with an explanation and discount vouchers to get people back?

I agree - he was a dumbkopf not to have heeded the initial request from the FSAI.

That said, it's hardly his fault they don't specify reasons for closure, is it? It's typical state agency behavior - adopt a modus operandi that encourages the kind of rumour and innuendo that sees decent businesses go down the pan.

RosieJoe

Conan The Contrarian wrote: »

It's typical state agency behavior - adopt a modus operandi that encourages the kind of rumour and innuendo that sees decent businesses go down the pan.

Hang on a second, is it the states fault that he ignored the original demand to extend the kitchen? No, that was his own doing! He should have done his utmost to avoid going onto the list in the first place, that way there would be no rumours or innuendos

Macy0161

I've no axe to grind one way or the other, but I'm still surprised the FSAI would be involved in health and safety issues that have no impact on food hygiene - wouldn't that be the HSA?

Charlie-Bravo

Macy0161 wrote: »

I've no axe to grind one way or the other, but I'm still surprised the FSAI would be involved in health and safety issues that have no impact on food hygiene - wouldn't that be the HSA?

+1

Conan The Contrarian

Macy0161 wrote: »

I've no axe to grind one way or the other, but I'm still surprised the FSAI would be involved in health and safety issues that have no impact on food hygiene - wouldn't that be the HSA?

I'm only reporting what the proprietor told me. But maybe we should take anything from a vested interest (i.e. the owner) with a pinch of salt.

I agree it's strange that the FSAI would get involved unless there was some risk to food safety.

That said, one of their statutory functions (acc to their website) is:

"Risk management in association with frontline agencies and the food sector, and communicating risks to consumers, public health professionals and the food industry."

Maybe they got him under this?

Or perhaps they felt an undersized kitchen posed a safety risk in terms of food preparation (i.e. separation, etc) as well as to the wellbeing of his staff...?

Anyway, point is he's now made all the changes requested AFAIK, and is deemed to be in compliance. There was no food poisoning, no dodgy hygiene, no harm to punters and thankfully no staff injured. Let him get on with his business, I say, and good luck to him.

BTW, still think it would help enormously if the FSAI could actually specify the reasons for closure orders, to avoid all this speculation/confusion.

Conan The Contrarian

RosieJoe wrote: »

Hang on a second, is it the states fault that he ignored the original demand to extend the kitchen? No, that was his own doing!

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I already said he was a dumbkopf for not heeding their initial instruction, and that he was now paying the price for his negligence.

Mullie

I'm dying for a Chinese after reading this thread!!!

popzmaster

Mullie wrote: »

I'm dying for a Chinese after reading this thread!!!

epic win

Conan The Contrarian

Anyone know how's business at the Cherry Blossom these days? Haven't been down that way in a while myself, but can't imagine it's very good for the poor oul' bowsers...

Blandpebbles

Business is booming! Food is even better and portions are massive.