Shirehall restaurant and coffee shop gains top food rating

The restaurant and coffee shop at Shirehall in Shrewsbury have gained the top award in the Shropshire Food Hygiene Scheme. 

A rating of five has been achieved by the Column Restaurant and QC Coffee Shop run by Shropshire Council.  The Food Hygiene Scheme helps people choose where to eat out, or shop for food, by providing information about hygiene standards. 

The accolade comes after the restaurant and coffee shop received a platinum Shropshire Healthy Eating Award – again the highest level any business can be given – which rewards premises that offer a range of healthy food choices, well-trained staff and good food hygiene procedures. 

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for environmental health, said:

“Catering manager Claire Downing and her team have shown real commitment to achieve the highest levels possible in both the food hygiene and the healthy eating award schemes. 

“As with all areas of the council it is about offering both quality and value. While ensuring all costs are covered, the team has worked really hard to ensure it is meeting the highest standards. 

“Furthermore, the Column Restaurant and QC Coffee Shop at Shropshire Council’s headquarters are not only used by staff but also by members of the public. 

“Shropshire Council is practising what it preaches when it comes to food hygiene and healthy eating.  Claire and her Shire Services team should be congratulated on all their efforts. 

“The council’s food safety team should also be recognised for running the schemes, which play an important role in the council’s wider work to protect consumers and drive up standards in the food industry.” 

The Food Hygiene 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. 

The food safety team has been rating premises since June 2010, and was one of the first in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to work in partnership with the Food Standards Agency to provide this consistent approach. 

Restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels and other places to eat out are included in the scheme, in addition to retail outlets such as supermarkets and other food shops. 

Each business is given a hygiene rating when it is inspected by a food safety officer, to show how closely the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. 

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).  

To search for ratings visit shropshire.gov.uk/foodhygienescheme 

Under the Shropshire Healthy Eating Award scheme, food premises can receive one of four different levels of award, from bronze to platinum. 

Customers can look out for stickers and certificates for both schemes when visiting premises. 

For more information on the schemes go to shropshire.gov.uk/environmentalhealth.nsf or contact the food safety team on 0345 678 9000.