More than 1,000 food businesses rated
- how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, reheated, cooled and stored;
- the condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities;
- how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.
At the end of the inspection, the business is given one of six ratings, from zero to five. When a business does not achieve the top rating the food safety officer will explain to the owner or manager what improvements are needed and how they can achieve this. The officer will also check that these improvements have been made.
Premises are given stickers and certificates showing their hygiene rating which they are encouraged to display in a place where customers can easily see them. However, this is not legally required, and if a customer cannot spot one they can ask if the business has been rated.
Councillor Steve Charmley, Cabinet member for active and healthy lifestyles, said:
“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme has been designed to make sure that the ratings given to businesses are fair. It rewards those businesses that are achieving high standards and also helps to improve standards in those that require improvement.
“I would urge people to look out for food hygiene rating stickers and certificates when visiting premises.
“The scheme plays an important role in the council’s wider work to protect consumers and drive up standards in the food industry – and I would like to congratulate the team for rating more than 1,000 premises. This milestone highlights how much has been achieved since the scheme was launched in the Shropshire Council area last year.”
The highest food hygiene rating is five (very good), followed by four (good), three (satisfactory), two (improvement necessary), one (major improvement necessary), and zero (urgent improvement necessary). Any business should be able to reach the top rating.
Food hygiene top rating
To date the ratings of inspections are as follows:
| Rating | Number of Premises | % |
| 5 | 422 | 38.6 |
| 4 | 288 | 26.4 |
| 3 | 264 | 24.2 |
| 2 | 64 | 5.9 |
| 1 | 49 | 4.5 |
| 0 | 5 | 0.4 |
To search for ratings visit shropshire.gov.uk/foodhygienescheme
More information on the scheme is also available by going to this web address or by contacting the food safety team on 0345 678 9000.
