Scores on the Doors celebrates food safety success

Scores on the Doors is celebrating an almost three-fold rise in the number of five star premises - from 75 to 205 - in just over a year. The number of zero starred premises has dropped from 43 to 20.

The food safety initiative was launched in April last year to help people make an informed choice about where they eat and buy food.

Premises that prepare and serve food - from fine dining restaurants to school canteens to kebab vans - are awarded between five stars (excellent) and zero stars (meaning major improvement is required), and the results can be viewed by the public online, via text or by a sticker on the window.

With virtually all 1,232 food premises in the borough graded, these figures suggest the publication of the ratings is achieving the goal of improving the overall hygiene standards of food businesses.

What's more, customers have taken full advantage of the service with thousands checking out the ratings of Royal Borough premises on the Scores on the Doors website every month. In January visits peaked at more than 16,500.

With a million cases of food-related illness recorded nationwide each year, and greater awareness of food safety issues, standards in the food industry are coming under greater scrutiny. Scores on the Doors was designed to generate greater public understanding of food safety matters.

Cllr Phill Bicknell, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Environment, said: "Scores on the Doors is designed to promote premises that are performing well and encourage improvements from those that are not - and these figures certainly indicate that it is effective in achieving just that.

"It's also great to see so many people using the service - which again is motivation for businesses to ensure their hygiene standards remain high or improve."

Premises that grade low are advised by the council's environmental health service on improvements and may be subject to formal action.

To check out the Scores on the Doors:
• go to www.rbwm.gov.uk
• go to www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk
• text SOTD followed by the business name and town to 60060
• for WAP service go to www.sotd.tv
• look for a rating sticker in the window of the business.

If a rating sticker isn't displayed, diners can ask the premises about their score.

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