Food safety team dishes out more top hygiene 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 almost 2,000 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 at the end of 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.

Food hygiene top rating

Councillor 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:

Central

The Links Cafe C.I.C. in Shrewsbury

Philpotts in Shrewsbury

The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse Limited

Harlescott Junior School

The Prince Rupert in Shrewsbury

Only Foods ‘N’ Sauces in Shrewsbury

Bicton C of E School

St Lucia’s C of E Primary School in Upton Magna

Cruckton Hall School

Pizza Express in Shrewsbury

Condover College Limited (Sundorne) in Shrewsbury

Condover College Limited (Radbrook) in Shrewsbury

Wroxeter Hotel

The Inn at Grinshill Limited

The Dog in The Lane in Astley

Dandi’s in Tong

North

China Palace in Oswestry

Scotty’s Café in Oswestry

Shlurp! in Oswestry

Red Rose Restaurant in Oswestry

Eric Roberts in Oswestry

Twist and Snout in West Felton

Coolkidz in Weston Rhyn

Hope House Children’s Hospice in Morda

Whistle Stop Café, A5 between Halton and Gledrid Roundabout

7 Day Catering , North Shropshire College

The Grove School in Market Drayton

Ellesmere Fruit & Veg Limited

South

Bowketts Food Emporium in Cleobury Mortimer

The Spice Empire in Cleobury Mortimer

Spice Express in Cleobury Mortimer

Balti Bar in Cleobury Mortimer

Coverage Care Shropshire Limited in Bishop’s Castle

The Green Café in Ludlow

Hilary’s Childcare in Church Stretton

The Pound Inn in Leebotwood