These are the most unhygienic takeaways, restaurants, pubs and food and drink stores in the borough.

The eight businesses, all inspected in the last 16 months, were given a ‘zero’ rating by inspectors in the Food Standards Agency’s national food hygiene ratings scheme.

In Macclesfield, Madras Spice on Brook Street, Massala House in Weston Square, Oriental House on Park Lane and Pizza Pantry on Bond Street were all deemed to need ‘urgent improvement’.

Others given a warning that they must improve immediately were Shanghai Memories on Chestergate, Weston Bakery in Weston Square, Earlsway, The Miners Arms on Wood Lane North in Adlington and Park Lane Pizza on Park Lane in Poynton.

The food hygiene scale goes from zero to five, with those achieving a five judged to be the safest, cleanest and best.

Food safety officers assess three separate areas: food hygiene, covering the handling, preparation, cooking and storage of food, the cleanliness and condition of facilities and buildings, and management. Staff knowledge is also examined.

The FSA said the system ensured food sold or served was safe to eat. A spokesman said: “The rating given is based on how well they do in each of these areas – they are all important.”

They added that those achieving a rating of zero were likely to be performing poorly in all three areas and may have a ‘history of serious problems’.

The Express contacted all the businesses concerned but only five replied. Eileen Draper, owner of Weston Bakery said: “A zero rating assessment was given when paperwork was not up-to-date – in our case it was our ‘safer food better business’ paperwork. This has since been rectified, checked by the Environmental Health Officer and we are awaiting a re-inspection.”

Maboob Uddin, manager of Massala House, said they were reassessed two weeks ago and were awaiting a new rating.

The manager of Oriental House said they recently had an inspection and were given a rating of three.

Karen Fu, manager of Shanghai Memories, said the business had been inspected again when she was on holiday and that they were awaiting a new rating.

The landlord of the Miners Arms said: “It was a zero rated business when we moved in in February but now it’s not. I haven’t bothered to apply for a new rating.”

All businesses can appeal and ask for re-inspections.

Our list is based on inspections that appear on the FSA’s website and is accurate at the time of writing.

Update:

Farid Rosta, the owner of Park Lane Pizza, in Poynton, said the FSA rating was awarded to the takeaway as a result of 'incorrect paperwork' which he has now rectified.

He said: "I am currently waiting for my re-score from Environmental Health, this can be a slow process.

"Since my 0 rating for the incorrect paperwork I have made the required changes and received a letter from Cheshire East EH dated 5th August 2015 that states that I in fact I had satisfactorily fulfilled all of the requirements with regards to the paperwork that was outlined within their report."

Mr Rosta, who has run the business for the past 18 months, is currently awaiting a new inspection from the FSA.

Keep up to date with food hygiene ratings in your area.