Bosses at an historic hotel in a seaside village are celebrating after turning a zero food hygiene rating into a very respectable rating of four.
Ken Fotis and family were devastated when the Royal Hotel in Mundesley was given a zero rating by an inspector from North Norfolk District Council in February 2018.
But they have turned it around and welcomed a rating of four, with five the best, in March this year.
Mr Fotis, who manages the hotel, said: "We did not fill in the paperwork to the depth required and that was why we got a zero rating.
"We have since implemented different paper procedures and more thorough documentation.
"It was soul destroying at the time. I was devastated.
"We have about 12 staff and I felt guilty on their behalf. In 40 years here, it was the worst day in business we've had.
"My parents, Michael and Elaine, were devastated and it shook us to the core."
He said it had been "a long and arduous road back".
He added: "This is a family-run business. My mother and father are still here every day working, and my children, twins Lexi and Sofia, ten, and Mikey, nine, are also helping out.
"As a family we've been here for 40 years. This is not a job for us, this is our life."
He said the new rating felt "like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders".
"We are aiming for a five rating next year," he said.
As part of a major revamp the family has invested about £50,000 in the kitchen and spent £100,000 on the roof at the building, which is about 400 years old.
The inspection found that the food hygiene was good, as was food safety.
At the previous inspection, the rating found they had not written down procedures in place to ensure food safety. They had also been told to provide correct allergen information about the ingredients used in food.
The hotel in Paston Road dates back to the 1600s when it was a coaching inn, whose overnight guests included a young Lord Nelson.
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