BREAKFAST cafe and sandwich shop The Egg has scored a cracking five stars in its most recent food hygiene inspection.

New owners took over the cafe at 5 Courtland Road in Rose Hill, Oxford, in January 2020, just weeks before the pandemic broke out, and they hope the new high score will encourage more customers to dine in when restrictions ease.

The cafe says it is the only 'day-time' cafe in Rose Hill, it serves full English breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers and jacket potatoes.

The Egg's breakfasts are also available on the takeaway app Deliveroo, though currently only one customer is allowed in at a time to order and collect food.

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Food hygiene inspectors from Oxford City Council visited The Egg unannounced for a routine inspection on March 2 this year.

Council officers awarded the cafe five stars which is the highest possible score.

More specifically, the breakfast cafe received a score of ‘good’ for ‘Food Hygiene and Safety’ and ‘Structural Compliance’ and was given ‘high’ for the category of ‘Confidence in Management’.

Anita Samworth, one of the team working at The Egg, said yesterday that she was very pleased the cafe had been given a five-star hygiene rating.

She added: “We are just doing takeaways at the moment, but hopefully on April 12 people will be able to sit outside.

“We can sit six people in a small outside area, but it will still be nice if it is nice weather.”

Ms Samworth said she also paid attention to the food hygiene ratings of restaurants and cafes when she is eating out and believes they are important especially for customers during the pandemic.

She said: “Hygiene makes such a big difference on Deliveroo when customers see the high hygiene rating.”

Read also: What happened to Oxford's one and two star restaurants?

The new owners took over The Egg just two months before the first lockdown started and have been restricted to takeaways.

The owners and workers at the cafe are hopeful the good mark will encourage more customers as restrictions are eased.

Ms Samworth said: “When the pandemic settles a bit and things improve hopefully the new five stars will encourage more customers to come in.

“Hopefully when people can sit inside the cafe business will start to pick up.”

The cafe has positive online reviews commenting on its 'excellent' breakfasts and good customer service.

The Egg is open Monday to Saturday 8am to 3.30pm for takeaways and closed on Sundays.

It also has its own Facebook page: facebook.com/theeggoxford

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