Hygiene site is food for thought

Diners can access restaurant reports by hygiene inspectors

Diners in Aberdeen can now check the cleanliness of their chosen restaurant before deciding to book a table.

The city council is making inspection reports on food premises available to the public for the first time online.

It follows the success of a similar scheme in New York where people could access information on restaurants via the internet.

Officials in Aberdeen hope the Scores On The Doors scheme will help drive up standards in city restaurants.

The results of food outlet inspections are being published on Aberdeen City Council's website from Wednesday.

Consumers can get an insight into what happens behind closed kitchen doors Carole Jackson Aberdeen City Council trading standards manager

The new feature allows access to information about hundreds of premises serving food to the public.

People can use the Scores On The Doors link in the website to search for a business by name, address, type or date of inspection.

People can also use a new mapping function on the site to view the location of each premises.

'Greater transparency'

Establishments are being asked to display certificates prominently on the door or window of their premises showing how well they did in their last hygiene inspection by their local environmental health service.

The certificates say pass, improvement required, or awaiting inspection for new businesses and those not yet inspected.

Aberdeen City Council trading standards manager Carole Jackson said: "The inclusion of inspection reports on the website is one of the first steps to achieving greater transparency about standards in food businesses.

"It provides information for the general public so that they can make an informed choice about where they purchase food. Consumers can get an insight into what happens behind closed kitchen doors.

"Ultimately this should encourage food business operators to ensure that standards of hygiene are maintained or improved in their premises and should reduce the need for interventions by local authority food safety enforcement officers."