Food safety team dishes out more top ratings

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 1,900 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.

Businesses which have gained the highest score of five in recent weeks are listed on this news story.

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.  

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for public protection, 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, on the Facebook page, or by calling the food safety team on 0345 678 9000.

Businesses which have recently gained the highest score of five:

Shrewsbury area 

• Rae-Man’s Oriental Store
• Timeless and Tasty
• Zizzi
• Britannia Inn
• Shrewsbury Christian Centre Association
• Oriental Flavours
• Aunty Nell’s Bakery
• Ambleside Cakes
• Deb’s Food Services
• Active Care – Loppington House
• Radbrook Nursing Home
• Tesco, Ditherington
• Bates and Easey Roaming Rotisserie
• Anna Cohen
• Holy Cross Care Homes Ltd
• Gala Clubs
• Severn House Campsite
• The Lantern
• The Buttermarket

Central area

• Wilson Vale Catering Management in Condover
• Concord College in Acton Burnell

North area

• Fairholme Coverage Care Services Ltd in Oswestry
• The Venue in Oswestry
• Ivy’s Cafe in Queen’s Head in Oswestry
• Elmhurst Nursing Home in Prees
• Hengoed Park Residential Home
• Tunstall Hall in Market Drayton
• Drayton Deli in Market Drayton
• Gingerbread Man in Market Drayton
• No 9 Coffee Shop in Wem
• Talgarth Tearooms in Ellesmere
• Deli Central Limited in Whitchurch
• Marton Village Stores in Marton
• The Sun Inn in Marton

South area

• Wheatlands Care Home in Much Wenlock
• The Stables Tearoom in Bridgnorth
• Davenport House in Bridgnorth
• Birchfield School in Albrighton
• Bower Grange Residential Care Home in Alveley
• The Community College in Bishop’s Castle
• BO Burd & Son in Bishop’s Castle
• Church Stretton School
• Manor Adventure in Craven Arms
• Lambeth Friendship Centre in Craven Arms
• Church Inn in Ludlow
• Wistanstow C of E Primary School
• White Horse Inn in Clun
• Brockton CE School
• Crown Country Inn in Munslow