Food hygiene inspections and ratings
We routinely visit food businesses throughout the district, checking that the food they supply is safe to eat.
We inspect all fixed food premises, including markets, to a national standard between every six months and every three years, depending on how we assess their level of hygiene risk.
How the scheme works
The food hygiene rating scheme gives businesses a mark out of five for their food hygiene practices. It gives customers confidence in choosing safe places to eat out or shop for food.
Restaurants, takeaways, cafés, sandwich shops, pubs, hotels, supermarkets and other retail food outlets, as well as other businesses where consumers can eat or buy food, are given a hygiene rating.
We run the scheme in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the central government department with responsibility for food safety.
Manufacturers and some other low-risk activities are not included in the scheme.
Ratings system
A business is given one of six ratings:
- 5: very good
- 4: good
- 3: generally satisfactory
- 2: improvement necessary
- 1: major improvement necessary
- 0: urgent improvement necessary
All businesses should be able achieve a 5 rating.
If your business does not achieve 5, the food safety officer will explain to you what improvements are needed. Businesses can then inform us of changes made by completing the online right to reply form or requesting a revisit.
You can find out more about food inspections and enforcement on the FSA website.
How we calculate ratings
Each business is given a rating following an inspection by environmental health officers and technical officers. This is based on how well the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law at that time.
The rating is based on a snapshot of the conditions found at the time of the last inspection and does not reflect the quality of food or the standards of service the business provides.
Businesses are assessed on:
- food handling (safe food preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage)
- the condition of the premises (cleanliness, repair, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities)
- how food safety is managed and documented
How we publish ratings
Customers can look up food hygiene ratings on the FSA website. They can search for ratings for local businesses and anywhere else the scheme is being operated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are given a rating of 5 the rating will appear live on the site within 21 days of our visit.
If you do not achieve the top rating we will give you an additional 21 days to appeal against a business rating using our online form.
You will be given a window sticker showing you rating.
Find out more about the scheme on the FSA website.
Opting in to the scheme
Some businesses are not normally included in the scheme. The option to opt-in was removed in July 2014. Businesses that have already opted in will remain so until the time of their next inspection, partial inspection or audit so long as their rating is valid.
Food businesses attending events
All food businesses attending events may be subject to food safety and hygiene inspections. To minimise disturbance to traders and to make the best use of the council's resources, pre-event planning is essential.
All food traders should notify us using this pre-event questionnaire at least 14 days before the event to allow for checks to be completed.