A popular tapas chain has scored the second lowest hygiene rating after inspectors found out-of-date chicken and seafood, broken lights and a roof leak which was causing water to pool in the kitchen.

The Gravesend branch of Rico Sabor was slapped with a one-out-five score after an inspection by Gravesham council last month.

It was inspected on February 22 – just days before the business's Dover restaurant closed after it was served with a notice to leave the premises.

The inspector raised several concerns, saying in the report: "The manager informed me he had been in post for only a few months.

"I had therefore suggested the owner too be present for this inspection. He did not attend.

"The walk-in fridge has an inner compartment. These inner compartments are usually set up to be walk-in freezers.

"The air temperature was around 3C but freezer temperatures should be around -18C.

"In this inner compartment, I found an unopened pack of chicken breasts with a ‘use-by’ date of February 19.

"So, the food was three days past its ‘use-by’ date. This is an offence in itself."

The inspector was told the chicken was delivered on February 18, just a day before.

They told the owner that was something to be taken up with their meat supplier.

The inspector continued: "I also noted vacuum packs of belly pork, of pork shoulder and of pork loin.

"There were no ‘use-by’ dates on these three packs although there were remnants of a label on one of the packs that had been removed.

"Still in the inner compartment, I noted tilapia (fish) fillets, king prawns and squid tubes still in their packets that were thawed out.

"There were no in-house ‘use-by’ labels on these foods and the packets contained instructions to keep frozen at -18C.

"In the absence of ‘use-by’ date labels, it undermines proper stock control."

The inspector noted after making this discovery the manager "made a responsible decision and disposed of the chicken and fish to protect public health especially as the next customers were to be school children".

It was also flagged in the report the lighting in the kitchen’s main cooking room was not working and there was no other natural lighting to the room.

The inspector also saw a serious leak to the roof.

They said: "This is resulting in ponding water in the kitchen. Repair the leak although I believe work is in hand."

The inspector also noted some repairs were required to the floor covering in the kitchen.

It was also reported the door seals to the outer walk-in fridge door and the inner walk-in fridge door were in a poor state of repair and needed to be replaced.

Both of these things were raised at the eatery's last inspection.

The inspector made inquires to see if the business was covered by the pest control contract which covers the nearby borough market.

They said: "I made inquiries with the office and it was confirmed their contract does not cover Rico Sabor's premises.

"I was shown the business's pest control record book but the records suggested it has not had an inspection for several months. The contract may have lapsed."

The inspector stated that by Rico Sabor having food past its ‘use-by’ date and food without a ‘use-by’ represented a staff and management shortcoming.

They said: "Up until the end of 2022, the business was using a comprehensive log book for recording not only fridge and freezer temperatures but also delivery checks, cooking temperatures, reheating temperatures, etc.

"Now, it appears it only records fridge and freezer temperatures.

"Abandoning the previous comprehensive recording system is a backward step."

Following the visit the inspector issued Rico Sabor with three recommendations.

They added: "The businesses prepared foods were tidily contained within visibly clean plastic containers with close fitting lids.

"The containers were labelled with the date of preparation and a ‘use-by’ date.

"But they should review the shelf life put on foods."

They also recommended the manager, who is mostly in a front-of-house position, is organised with a food hygiene Level 2 course.

A council spokesman said: "A visit to check on progress was undertaken on March 9 by the same food inspector.

"It was noted that very little progress had been made to address issues from the original inspection.

"The business owner was contacted on March 13 and asked to update us on all the outstanding items in the inspector’s report and to provide likely timescales for completion.

"No response has been received to date."

Rico Sabor was contacted by KentOnline for comment about its hygiene rating via phone and email.

No response has been received.