Royal Lancaster London Hotel receives food hygiene rating of 2
Mouse droppings found in pastry kitchen, prompting 'improvements necessary' rating from Food Standards Agency.
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Names GM Sally Beck and cites FSA findings, but relies on a single outlet and lacks the rating date.
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Provides quotes, explains health risk, and outlines next inspection, maintaining clear separation of facts.
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Headline uses strong adjectives but story remains proportionate to the inspection findings.
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The Royal Lancaster London Hotel, located on Lancaster Terrace and attached to Lancaster Gate tube station, has been given a food hygiene rating of 2 by the Food Standards Agency. This rating indicates that improvements are necessary at the establishment.
Inspection findings
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During its inspection, the Food Standards Agency identified the presence of fresh mouse droppings in the hotel's pastry kitchen. The agency also noted that can openers in three of the hotel's kitchens were not cleaned after each use, raising concerns about potential cross-contamination. The hotel is ranked as the UK's number one hotel on TripAdvisor.
Sally Beck, General Manager of the Royal Lancaster London Hotel, stated that the hotel was "horrified" by the rating. She told MyLondon that the issues were addressed immediately after the inspection. "There were two big findings with the can openers not being cleaned, and then we had a big piece of oven equipment we weren't using, and the team had not been cleaning behind it. There were [mice] droppings behind it so when the EHA came in, they said that we weren't on top of our cleaning or processes because those two things showed we weren't," Mrs Beck explained.
Ongoing pest control and next steps
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Mrs Beck also mentioned that the hotel is in continuous contact with Rentokil Pest Control regarding mice. She attributed the ongoing presence of mice partly to the hotel's location, which is adjacent to Lancaster Gate station and close to Hyde Park, suggesting that pests are an inherent challenge in such an environment. "We were horrified when we received the rating. When it comes to the mice, we asked Rentokil, 'Is there a way to ever get rid of the mice', and they said, 'We'd never be able to'. Because we have a Tube station, Hyde Park, they are part of the fabric of the building. It's about constantly cleaning and stopping and filling," she told MyLondon.
Following the inspection, new can openers have been installed in the kitchens, and a broken oven that was located in the pastry kitchen has been removed. MyLondon observed that the areas previously identified as having mouse droppings were clear during their visit.
The Royal Lancaster London Hotel is now awaiting a reinspection by the Food Standards Agency, which is scheduled for September 2026. Mrs Beck expressed confidence in achieving a higher rating, stating, "I know we will get a five [in the next rating]. This experience showed we can't get complacent."
Questions this report answers
+What food hygiene rating did the Royal Lancaster London Hotel receive?
The Royal Lancaster London Hotel received a food hygiene rating of 2 from the Food Standards Agency. This rating signifies that improvements are necessary at the establishment.
+What issues were found during the food hygiene inspection?
Inspectors found fresh mouse droppings in the hotel's pastry kitchen. Additionally, can openers in three kitchens were not cleaned after every use, posing a risk of cross-contamination.
+What has the hotel done since the inspection?
The hotel has installed new can openers in its kitchens and removed a broken oven from the pastry kitchen. The General Manager stated that all issues identified were addressed immediately.
+When will the hotel be reinspected?
The Royal Lancaster London Hotel is awaiting a reinspection by the Food Standards Agency, which is scheduled to take place in September 2026.
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