Staff at a pub in Hitchin are "absolutely delighted" after its food hygiene rating improved from one to five stars.

Following an inspection on March 20, The Albert Inn in Walsworth Road was deemed to require improvement for hygienic food handling and major improvement for management of food safety.

A spokesperson for the pub told The Comet that staff had been "let go" since the inspection as part of efforts to improve, and that the business was "working tirelessly" to make the necessary changes.

Following a second inspection on September 6, The Albert was awarded five stars, a rating the pub is "absolutely delighted" with.

"We’re absolutely delighted with the result of our recent visit from environmental health," a spokesperson said. 

"We hope that our new five-star food hygiene rating will reassure our customers that we take the matter of food hygiene very seriously and put our customers safety first.

"We’ve recently also added a new pop up kitchen to the pub - Little Meze offers a fresh and unique perspective of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot dishes, made with love. We look forward to seeing you soon."