A NEW cafe that opened in the former Dinghams store in May has been given a low food hygiene rating  at its first inspection.  

Autumn House, in The Square, was given a hygiene rating of one out of five after an inspection on Wednesday, August 3.  

The cafe opened its doors on May 25 and is owned by Alex Donnan and Laura Turner, who also run the General Store and the new Pump House. 

READ MORE: New cafe and wine bar Autumn House opens on site of former cookshop Dinghams in Winchester city centre

The Food Standards Agency's website shows the cafe was given "improvement necessary" for their hygienic food handling, "generally satisfactory" for their cleanliness and condition of facilities and building and "major improvement necessary" for their management of food safety. 

Reece Cumberbatch, manager and co-director, said they had requested a revisit and that improvements had been brought in immediately. 

He expcts to see the hygiene rating dramatically differ at the next inspection.  

He said: “It is because we were not prepared as a start up and new business. We are rectifying all the issues raised and we have been in constant contact with the officer and will request a revisit.”  

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He said that the inspector picked up on issues such as fridge temperatures, floor cleanliness and carpets. 

Reece said that the low score was an ‘eye-opener’ but they had been working hard to get the business off the ground.  

He said: “To get this place open was quite a long complicated process and a lot of hard work went into it.”  

He encouraged people to give the place a try and show support for it.  

He said: “I don’t think there are many places like this. All our food is freshly made at the General Store and delivered to us. Our cakes and salads are delicious and fresh, we also have one of the best baristas in Winchester with fresh roasted coffee, as well as our bottle shop and home ware retail space upstairs.”