New hygiene scheme launched

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MAJOR changes to the way restaurants and other food outlets are judged on their standards of food hygiene is set to be introduced in the Vale.

Restaurants, hotels, take-aways, pubs, butchers and supermarkets will now be measured under a new system which is currently being rolled out across the UK.

Worcestershire Regulatory Services hopes the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) will give diners more information about the hygiene standards of the places they are visiting by seeing their ratings online and reduce the number of people suffering from food poisoning.

Developed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the new scheme replaces the existing Scores on the Doors system which was a local scheme and not coherent with other food outlets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Introducing the new scheme means businesses in the Vale and across the county will adopt the same measures businesses have to adopt to in the rest of the country.

Like the last system, businesses will be judged on their hygiene standards during inspections to their premises and are rated from zero to five. Zero meaning 'vast improvement needed' and five meaning 'very good'.

Under the new scheme, businesses are also being encouraged to display their hygiene rating as a window sticker so customers can see them and decided if they want to eat or shop there.

Lucy Hodgson, chairman of Worcestershire Regulatory Services said: "Although the previous Scores on the Doors scheme was very successful, we believe that moving to the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme will bring benefits for local food businesses and their customers.

"Having a single scheme which is consistent nationwide means that the ratings will have the same significance wherever people are buying or selling food and that will help tourists visiting the area and businesses which trade across the Worcestershire border.

"Worcestershire people will be able to use the information when deciding where to eat and we hope that food companies will recognise that displaying a good hygiene rating is good for business."

People can view ratings for each of the Vale's food outlets by visiting www.food.gov.uk/ratings.

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