We participate in the Food Standards Agency's national food hygiene rating scheme (FHRS), helping consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food.
After a food hygiene inspection, a food business is given a rating based on hygiene compliance at the time of the visit. The scores for all food businesses are published on the national FHRS database.
- 5 is rated as ‘very good’
- 4 is rated as ‘good’
- 3 is rated as ‘generally satisfactory’
- 2 is rated as ‘improvement necessary’
- 1 is rated as ‘major improvement necessary’
- 0 is rated as ‘urgent improvement necessary’
Information for businesses
If a business disputes its food hygiene rating, it can request the following.
Apply for a re-rating
If a food business has made improvements to hygiene standards that the food officer discussed at their planned inspection they can ask for a re-visit before the next planned inspection. This costs £250 plus VAT. The hygiene standards in their premises will be reassessed with a view to give an improved rating.
Right to reply
The business owner or manager also has a 'right to reply'. This is different from an appeal. The owner or manager can submit an explanation on how the business has improved hygiene or to say if there were unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection. We will publish a business's right to reply online alongside the business's hygiene rating.
Appeal
There is an appeals process if a business wants to dispute the food hygiene rating given by an inspecting officer.
The business owner or manager can contact the food officer that carried out the inspection about the rating received. If the business owner or manager still thinks the rating is unfair or wrong, they can appeal online.