Food Hygiene Score Ratings | Kangs Regulatory Solicitors
Call for dirty takeaways to display Food Hygiene Scores
Steven Micklewright of Kangs Solicitors discusses the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
In view of the vast and ever increasing range of fast/convenience food outlets, colloquially known as ‘takeaways’, Ministers have been urged to take action in respect of dirty takeaways which fail to display food hygiene score ratings.
In England, unlike Wales, it is not compulsory for takeaways to display their hygiene rating.
As is to be expected, it is generally only those having been awarded the highest scores that are happy to display the same.
In reality, it’s the takeaways achieving low or bad scores that people need to know and be warned about.
What is the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme? | Food Safety Solicitors
Each takeaway business is given a hygiene rating when inspected by a local authority food safety officer.
The inspection assesses the extent to which the business is complying with the law and will take into account:
- the manner in which the food is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored
- the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, fire safety and other facilities of the premises
- the manner in which the business records are maintained, including the sources from which it purchases raw food supplies in order to make sure the food is safe
Following the inspection, a business is awarded a rating of 0 – 5
- 0 = Urgent Improvement
- 1 = Major Improvement necessary
- 2 = Improvement necessary
- 3 = Generally satisfactory
- 4 = Good
- 5 = Very Good
In respect of those takeaways that do not display their poor score rating, members of the public are able to check the rating directly on the Food Standards Agency website, if their local authority participates.
It would be expected that a low food hygiene score rating will have a detrimental impact on any takeaway by harming its reputation with its customers and, ultimately, its profit.
Food Hygiene Enforcement | Kangs Food Hygiene Solicitors
Food safety is quite obviously essential to a society which expects to see serious hygiene breaches result in Prosecution at court.
Consumers must have confidence that the food they buy and eat will be safe and not likely to cause them harm and takeaways have a clear legal duty to meet this obligation.
As a takeaway owner, you are required to be fully conversant with all aspects of the relevant law and to strictly comply with it.
Kangs Solicitors has considerable experience in representing takeaway owners who face prosecution for environmental health and food law offences and, in particular, we are able to advise on:
- all aspects of Environmental Health and Food Safety Law
- the content, legal implications and requirements of an Improvement or Prohibition Notice
- representation at any interviews under Caution conducted by the Local Authority
- preparation of your defence in Court
How to Contact Us | Kangs Environmental Health Solicitors
We have specialist lawyers with in-depth knowledge of environmental health and food hygiene law who can assist you upon all of the above matters if your local authority is taking action against you.
If you require advice on area of Environmental Health or Food Hygiene Law, then please do not hesitate to contact us through the following:
Steven Micklewright
smicklewright@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0121 449 9888 | 020 7936 6396
Sukhdip Randhawa
srandhawa@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0121 449 9888 | 020 7936 6396
