THE owner of a bed and breakfast blamed jet-lag for being awarded a poor hygiene rating.

Kimbers Ark was given one star out of five in the Food Standards Agency rating systems, meaning major improvement is necessary.

Australian-born owner Jan Gething, who runs the B&B with husband Mike, claims the grade is “completely unjust” as she had just got back from six weeks in her home country.

The inspection, carried out by Cherwell District Council on March 27, was broken into three sections, with the B&B scoring “very good” for food hygiene and safety and “good” for compliance. But inspectors said they had little confidence in the management. The council said it was the second time required paperwork was not in place.

Mrs Gething, who moved to the UK in 2011, said: “There isn’t an issue. It’s completely unjust.

“They came to inspect it and the place was spotlessly clean, but the books hadn’t been done to date. All it was was the paperwork.

“I was suffering from jet lag and had just walked in.”

The five-room guesthouse in Warwick Road, Banbury, was taken over by the Gethings about four years ago.

Mr Gething said: “We worked hard building it up. We have a strong following in the Australian tourists that come over, and workers looking for somewhere to stay and call home.

“We are not trying to make it upmarket, just homely.”

Having trained as a standards inspector in Australia, she said her own food hygiene rules were stringent: “My qualifications in food handling are such that I could be teaching food hygiene.”

The Gethings are considering an appeal to Cherwell District Council.

A council spokesman said: “Kimber’s Ark received a Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) rating of one because at the time of the council’s recent inspection, they did not have a satisfactory documented food safety management system in place.

“This was the second time that such paperwork was not in place so the establishment was given a ‘confidence in management’ score of 20, which limits the FHRS score to one or below.

“The owners would have been sent a letter detailing the process to follow if they wanted to appeal the score or request a re-visit for a re-score under the scheme.

“We have spoken to the owner and we will be sending the re-visit request forms as she has advised she has completed the required paperwork.”