New system to rate eatery hygiene

The new star-rating system will apply to all places serving food

Eateries in South Gloucestershire are to be rated for their cleanliness and hygiene under a new system.

Stars ranging from zero to five will be awarded following inspections by the council's food and health team.

Premises will be given a certificate to display to customers, as well as having the results displayed on a new Scores on the Doors website.

The system will apply to restaurants, pubs and takeaways, as well as catering operations in schools and workplaces.

Customer choice

Councillor Shirley Potts said the scheme would help residents and visitors make choices about where they eat.

"Their decisions will be based not only on the menu, price and location, but also on good standards of food hygiene," she said.

"Publishing this information will clearly be popular with consumers.

"Our hope is that it will also give proper recognition to those businesses that have high standards and want to maintain that level, while encouraging those that have poor standards to improve."

The Scores on the Doors scheme is part of a pilot initiative, coordinated by the Food Standards Agency and involving local authorities across the UK.