Scores on Doors

Since its launch on Monday 11 June 65,000 people have visited the City Council Scores on Doors Web advice site. The Website contains useful advice for the public and businesses alike. It means that food retailers and caterers inspected by Environmental Health Officers are given a star rating based on how well they perform in terms of hygiene, structural condition and overall attitude to complying with the law.

Now 660 Carlisle businesses have been made available for the public to view on the Web, a 100 of which are five star rated. They can be viewed at www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk  or via Carlisle City Council Website www.carlisle.gov.uk.  Inforamtion about additional businesses will be added on a regular basis as they are inspected.

What does this mean for the public?

Well simply standards across the board are improving steadily which is what the scheme is meant to bring about. The number of category B risk establishments has seen a dramatic reduction from 113 premises identified last year to 57 this year, a reduction of 57% and a reduction in category C risk establishments from 501 last year to 453 this year a decrease of 10%. All of which is encouraging, demonstrating that food outlets in the District are serious about making improvements and ensuring they raise their standards.

What is Scores on the Doors?

Scores on the Doors is a way for the public to find out how hygienic and well managed their favourite take-aways, pubs and restaurants & food shops are.

Since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into force local authorities have noticed increasing numbers of requests for information on hygiene inspections of their local catering establishments, retailers and canteens.

It is not just local journalists looking for a story who are taking an interest. Concerned parents worried about school or nursery meals, businesses looking to market services to struggling caterers and even shoppers wanting to make sure they don't suffer one of the 1.3 million food poisoning incidents that strike the British public each year, are all requesting hygiene information.

Background

The City Council (and all other Cumbrian Authorities) began to introduce the scheme in January 2007. It means that food retailers and caterers inspected by Environmental Health Officers are given a star rating based on how well they perform in terms of hygiene, structural condition and overall attitude to complying with the law.

Now after only ten months 660 Carlisle businesses are available for the public to view on the web. Those businesses, which gain three, four or five stars, are given a star rating certificate to display, showing the standard they have attained. It is voluntary for the business to display the certificate but it does give the consumer an indication of overall level of food hygiene compliance at the business.

Quote

Ruth Harland Food Health and Safety Manager said:

‘’the aim of the web advice is to bring about an improvement in food hygiene standards in the City and also to give the public a more informed choice about where to eat based on food safety. Scores on the Doors is a quick way for people to find out at a glance how hygienic and well-managed their favourite take-aways, pubs, restaurants and food shops are compared to others in the district.’’