According to the Athletic, Manchester United are being investigated by Trafford Council after several people claimed they fell ill after being served raw chicken at an event at Old Trafford.
United received several complaints from guests who attended an event hosted at the club’s stadium in recent months and are conducting an internal investigation.
United declined to comment on Friday evening when approached by The Athletic, while Trafford Council had not responded by the point of publication.
United currently have a food hygiene rating of ‘Very Good’ from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), an independent government department responsible for food safety and hygiene.
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They carry out inspections of businesses that serve food, and United was last inspected on October 23, although the FSA has yet to publish their new rating.
The incident involving raw chicken may place United’s rating in jeopardy. Restoring a rating can take a lengthy period and could also negatively impact the hospitality business of the club.
Man United earn significant revenue from serving food and hosting events at Old Trafford, and a downgrade in their hygiene rating could negatively impact their finances.
This news is a major setback for United as British Billionaire and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe is close to completing a 25 per cent takeover at the club.
The 71-year-old is set to seal a £1.3billion minority acquisition of United in the coming weeks. When that is completed, the INEOS chief will take control of football operations at Old Trafford when the takeover is completed.
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