Diners can check out restaurant hygiene ratings

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
Council Offices, Argents Mead, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1BZ

PRESS RELEASE

ISSUED  4 JANUARY 2008


Diners can check out restaurant hygiene ratings
 
A NEW SCHEME has just been launched enabling diners in Hinckley & Bosworth Borough to view the hygiene ratings of their favourite restaurants and takeaways. 

Environmental health officers from the Borough Council regularly inspect food premises to ensure that high standards of food hygiene are maintained in the Borough. Now, members of the public are able to view on-line hygiene ratings of catering establishments following these inspections. 

Similar schemes exist in some parts of the United States, Canada and Denmark, legally requiring businesses to display summary reports of inspection on their doors/windows so that members of the public can view them prior to deciding whether to enter the premises - hence they are known as ‘Scores on the Doors’.  

While present legislation in the UK cannot force businesses to display their ratings, the Borough Council has issued each catering business inspected since 1st June 2007 with a star rating certificate for them to display. Updated regularly, the ratings can also be viewed on-line through www.foodscores.co.uk, or through a link from the council’s website:  www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk.

So far, 125 food establishments have been included in the scheme, with the remaining 325 in the Borough due to be added over the course of the next 18 months.

Each catering business has been rated on their standard of hygiene compliance, structural compliance and food safety management/control systems in place. The star ratings are:

No Stars = Failing. A general failure to comply with legal requirements. Little or no appreciation of food safety.

1 Star = Poor. Some non-compliance with food safety legislation – more effort required.

2 Stars = Satisfactory. Mainly compliant with food safety legislation. An understanding of food safety and standards being maintained or being improved. 

3 Stars = Good. Good level of legal compliance. Only minor safety issues not addressed.

Commenting on the scheme, Councillor Sandra Francks, Executive member for Environmental Health, Recycling & Refuse, said: “I hope members of the public will find this information useful and give them confidence when choosing a restaurant or takeaway service.

“The scheme also demonstrates the council’s commitment to being open and accountable for the services it provides.”

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. For more information contact Steve Merry, Environmental Services Manager, on 01455 255735.