It’s the scores on the doors that no one wants – but there are 46 food businesses in Cumbria which aren’t making the hygiene grade.
Standard hygiene routines, like regular extraction system cleans, are being ignored, overlooked or delayed in some Cumbrian venues said Ulverston-based firm Hy5 Cleaning.
This was putting the public at risk and leaving kitchen operators open to large fines and denial of insurance, it added.
Food hygiene ratings are an easy way for people to check if their preferred eatery is adhering to safe standards.
Five is the best rating – very good – and 0 means urgent improvement is needed. In Cumbria, there are 46 businesses with a score of two or one and none with a 0 rating.
Book your kitchen clean: Free quotes and £100 off for all Cumbria businesses with Hy5 Cleaning
Research from the Food Standards Agency found that 36% would consider ratings while deciding to eat out and that food businesses rated as two or below were twice as likely to be linked to food poisoning outbreaks compared with those rated three (generally satisfactory) or higher.
Businesses are inspected by officers from local authorities.
Where are the worst offenders?
In Cumbria, there are 46 businesses with a score of two or one and none with a 0 rating.
In Cumberland & Westmorland, 13 have a rating of one, which means major improvement is needed and 16 a rating of two, which means improvement needed. Westmorland & Furness has seven businesses with a one rating and 10 with a two rating.
The ratings are a snapshot of the standards found at the time of an inspection, but businesses are encouraged to display their results to give customers an idea.
Concerns found at the time of the inspection may have already been addressed by the time the rating has been published.
Ratings are available to check at https://ratings.food.gov.uk/
There may be temporary differences between the online version and the one displayed at the business.
If it has appealed the rating and is waiting for the result or the local authority is in the process of uploading the new inspection, the ratings will not match.
Local authority inspections
At an inspection, an officer from the local authority will check:
- The physical condition of the business –including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and other facilities
- How the business manages ways of keeping food safe
- How hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, reheated, cooled and stored
The Safer Food Group, which provides online training for the food industry, said: “If you receive a 2, the environmental health officer may not trust that you take food hygiene seriously.
“There are also likely some risks to public health through poor cleanliness or food preparation, although these risks may not be immediate. It is important to ensure that you and your staff have up-to-date training and understand what is required of everyone to maintain safety with food.
“Something has gone seriously wrong if you receive a 1. Either one area is particularly bad – think bug infestation – or everything is pretty bad.
“If you have received a 1, you should start your food hygiene planning from scratch.
“Ensure all your staff are fully trained, rewrite your food safety management system, and prioritise food hygiene throughout your business.”
What can businesses do to make sure they are compliant?
Professional cleaning of a commercial kitchen makes sure that they are consistently inspection-ready.
Grease build-up in extraction systems is also a major issue in UK commercial kitchens.
Businesses must comply with regulations which requires employers to reduce fire risks and many insurers require kitchens to demonstrate regular extractor fan and duct cleaning.
All commercial kitchens need a certificate to demonstrate they periodically have a TR19 clean of their kitchen extraction system.
If you operate a commercial kitchen, the time to take action is now.
Cumbrian firm Hy5 Commercial Cleaning offers all aspects of commercial kitchen cleaning services – including extraction systems, ductwork, ventilation and kitchen deep cleans. With highly trained and experienced local staff. It is a BESA VHR Member and its cleaning staff are TR19 qualified.
During the whole of May, it is offering free quotes and £100 off to all Cumbrian businesses.
For more information, call 01229 588556, email [email protected] or click here to get in touch.
You can also follow Hy5 Commercial Cleaning Ltd on Facebook here and Instagram here
