Contentious cafe cops D grading

Jason Neal, manager of the Cafe at Piha, which was given a D rating this week. Photo / Jason Dorday

The contentious Piha Cafe is closing its doors for three days next week after receiving a 'D' food hygiene grading just six months after it opened.

The cafe, conceived by TV sports celeb Marc Ellis and three friends, sparked opposition in the small surf community and faced a three-year, $200,000 legal wrangle before it could open.

Ellis pulled out last year after a disagreement with the other owners.

The cafe received the 'D' grading last week after a surprise visit by a Waitakere City Council food safety inspector. The inspector said cleaning levels were not adequate and raised concerns about possible unlawful building work.

Cafe manager Jason Neal said it was "gutting" and that the inspection was just "really bad timing".

He said the inspector "flipped their lid" after seeing paint containers and bits of wood out the back by the walk-in fridge.

Neal said business was busy and the cafe had turned over around $8000, but there was building work at the back. He insisted it wasn't a food preparation area and it wasn't about food areas being dirty. "We have nothing to hide."

The cafe would be closed next Monday to Wednesday so the building work could be finished, Neal said.

The council's public affairs manager, Glyn Walters, said inspectors found cleaning levels were not up to scratch and it appeared that unlawful building work was going on behind the cafe. A building inspector would visit soon.

The cafe was also warned for failing to display its 'D' grading.

"It sits between okay and high risk," said Walters. "There are no serious heath risks."

One of the cafe owners, Andy Higgs, said the building work was legal and it was just "speculation" from the inspectors that it was not.

He said the grading notice must have fallen from where it was taped on the window.

Another establishment to fall foul of inspectors is Valentines restaurant in Pakuranga.

It was given a 'D' food grading because of poor lighting and cracking tiles.

Restaurant owner Eric Hu said the poor grade resulted from lighting being too low to allow effective cleaning or inspection, cracked floor tiles and a leaky pipe. Inspectors also asked for a clean-up of rubbish in the carpark.