Most businesses producing or serving food in Brentwood get a hygiene rating between zero and five awarded after each inspection. This is the Food Standards Agency’s National Hygiene Rating Scheme and inspections are carried out by our Environmental Health Services.
The categories of businesses included in the scheme are:
- caterers such as restaurants, cafes, takeaways, sandwich shops, mobile traders and places where people eat food prepared, cooked and served outside of the home
- food retailers such as supermarkets
- places where public access is limited but where food is prepared, cooked or handled such as schools, nurseries and residential care homes
The scheme is designed to help people decide where to eat and help motivate businesses to earn greater standards of hygiene and legal compliance.
The hygiene rating is based on three criteria (compliance scores): hygiene, structure, and food safety management. A formula is then used to get the hygiene score. Very good premises receive a rating of five, broadly compliant premises get three or more. If the standard is very poor, it will get a score of zero.
Food businesses with low scores will need to think about the effects of a lower standard. Customers may decide to shop or eat at places with better ratings.
Where to find the rating for food premises
You can check the hygiene rating given to premises based on the most recent inspection by visiting the Food Standards Agency.
Guidance
For more information on the scheme such as exemptions, appeals, the right to reply and requests for revisits and re-inspections, view the Food standards agency national guidance.
If you're a food business and would like to make an appeal, comment on your inspection or request a re-rating, complete one of the following forms:
Food businesses requests for re-rating will be charged at £186.