Food Hygiene in Wokingham Improves

A scheme in Wokingham rating the hygiene of all food businesses has seen an improvement in standards.

Following its launch two years ago, the Scores on the Doors scheme in the Wokingham Borough is going from strength-to-strength.

The "Scores on the Doors" scheme rates food hygiene standards where food is sold in the Wokingham Borough and includes places like restaurants, cafés, deli’s, butchers shops and mobile food vans. 

Each business is given a star rating from zero (major improvement needed) to five (excellent). The ratings are based on scores for food hygiene and safety, for example, if businesses have the right cleaning procedures in place, if fridges are kept at the right temperature and if there is clear and consistent management where food safety is concerned.

Since its launch in 2008, Scores on the Doors has proved extremely popular across the Wokingham Borough. The scheme is intended to give consumers more information about where they eat or buy their food, and to encourage food businesses with poorer hygiene and management practices to improve. Over 74,000 people have visited www.wokingham.gov.uk/scores to check the ratings of premises in the Wokingham Borough.  

The scheme is designed to encourage food business operators to work to improve their food hygiene practices and give you more information about where you eat or buy food. So far over 74,000 people have visited the Scores on the Doors website to check the ratings.

Since Scores on the Doors was launched a range of food businesses have improved their star rating – with 87 per cent of all eateries and food outlets now rated as good, very good, excellent or exceeding the excellent benchmark. This is an increase of 19 per cent from when the scheme was launched.

Rosalynd Hale, principal environmental health officer, said:

“Out of all the food businesses that operate in the borough only four per cent are now rated as poor or needing major improvement in terms of management and hygiene – this is a great improvement from the launch in June 2008 when 11 per cent of food businesses were in these categories, and goes to show just how hard many businesses have been working to improve their standards.  We will continue to closely monitor these businesses to ensure they maintain their improved standards.”

Councillor Ulla Karin Clark, executive member for community development and human resources, said:

“It is good news that after two years of the scores on the door scheme, so many of the borough’s food premises have achieved high ratings, and we will continue to work with those with lower ratings to make improvements.

“Scores on the Doors doesn’t critique the menu on offer but provides the information on how well each premises is run in terms of food safety so all can make an informed choice on where to eat or buy food.”

How does your local restaurant or café score? find out here.