Cambridgeshire: Food Hygiene

20 June 2013, 06:00 | Updated: 20 June 2013, 07:07

Latest figures show 327 food outlets across Cambridgeshire need to improve their standards of hygiene.

The latest data, available from the Scores On The Doors website, indicates several restaurants, bars, supermarkets, schools and a hospital need to make improvements.

The data shows that, across Cambridgeshire, 327 outlets that serve food scored two stars of fewer out of a possible five during the most recent visits by inspectors from Local Authorities.

The scoring system works as follows:

Five stars - very good
Four stars - good
Three stars - generally satisfactory
Two stars - improvement necessary
One star - major improvement necessary
Zero stars - urgent improvement necessary

The number of outlets scoring two stars or fewer in each district are as follows:

Fenland District Council - 25 out of 774
Cambridge City Council -  37 out of 1,170
East Cambridgeshire District Council - 65 out of 613
Huntingdonshire District Council - 71 out of 1,002
Peterborough City Council - 129 out of 1,368

According to the Scores On The Doors website, "Local authorities are responsible for carrying out inspections of food businesses to check that they meet the requirements of food hygiene law. 

Depending on what they find, they may come back in six months or up to three years. 

Not all businesses are given a rating.

Some businesses such as a chemist selling sweets are considered low risk and therefore are not included in the scheme. 

These businesses are said to be exempt."

Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste at Cambridge City Council Jean Swanson said: "The basic problems poor food hygiene can cause include food poisoning.

This can be just not feeling terribly well for one or two people, or could lead to a major outbreak of something like Salmonella or E-Coli, and can be very serious for elderly or vulnerable people.

Hygiene Officers will go and check these premises again and again, and will work with them to improve the rating."