THE former boss of a Bolton chip shop has hit back after the current owners suggested that the store’s food hygiene rating of zero was down to her.

Pauline Crompton, aged 65, and her business partner Joan Russell ran the chip shop, in Lever Street, Great Lever, for 25 years, under the name Pauline and Joan’s.

After The Bolton News contacted current owner Amjid Mirza following the award of a zero food hygiene score by the council’s inspector, he said the result was largely down to the previous owners.

Mr Mirza, who has renamed the takeaway A Star Chippy, said: “The place was being run a certain way for 25 years and we had only been here a few months when the inspector came.”

Mrs Crompton, aged 65, said she was “disgusted” when she read the comments. She said: “It was just the easy thing for him to do to blame the two old dears.”

She said that the business had last been awarded three stars for food hygiene during her ownership.

She added: “We never recieved any warnings or anything. We cleaned every day and threw things away — I think this is just a cop out.

"We established a good reputation over 25 years and I would like that restored.”


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However, Mr Mirza said he stands by his comments.

He added: “We were only here for a few weeks before the inspector came and we were doing exactly the same things as the previous owners, so who else would you blame?”