Food safety team dishes out top ratings to county businesses

Businesses from across Shropshire have achieved the top food hygiene rating in the latest round of inspections. 

Shropshire Council’s food safety team has awarded food hygiene ratings to more than 1,850 premises since the Food Hygiene Scheme was launched in the county, meaning all the premises of the highest food safety risk have now been inspected.

In recent weeks, the following businesses have gained the highest score of five: 

• Kelly’s Cake Creations in Shrewsbury
• Meadowvale Residential Home in Bridgnorth
• Bridgnorth Hospital
• Goldstone Hall Hotel in Cheswardine
• Salop Pickle Works in Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury
• The Lunchbox in Market Drayton
• The Lion Hotel in Broseley
• The Pedigree in Oswestry
• Lunches 4 All in Bishop’s Castle
• Merricakes of Shrewsbury
• The Little Round Cake Company in Shrewsbury
• Mr Chan’s Take-Away in Whitchurch
• Etzio in Whitchurch
• Dog Inn and Davenport Arms in Worfield
• Old Town Hall Vaults in Whitchurch
• Shawbury Garden Centre
• Weston Lullingfields C of E School
• Juan’s Tapas and Lite Bites in Whitchurch
• Wilderhope Manor Youth Hostel
• Tudor Fish and Chip Shop in Market Drayton
• Tern Hill Farm House
• Sue’s Catering near Shrewsbury
• The Pantry in Shrewsbury 

The team has been rating premises as part of the scheme 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. 

The Food Hygiene Scheme helps people choose where to eat out, or shop for food, by providing information about hygiene standards.  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.  The rating shows how closely the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law, including: 

• 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.  

Food hygiene rating scheme logo

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for active and healthy lifestyles, said:

“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme plays an important role in the council’s wider work to protect consumers and drive up standards in the food industry.  It 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 raise standards in those that require improvement. 

“I would like to congratulate all the businesses that have been awarded the top rating and urge people to check the rating online, in advance, or look out for the distinctive green and black food hygiene rating stickers and certificates when visiting premises.  If these aren’t on display, we would also encourage people to ask businesses if they have been rated and what score they achieved.” 

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.

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

More information on the scheme is also available by going to these webpages or by calling the food safety team on 0345 678 9000.