THE FOOD Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) turns five this week and to celebrate, Scarborough Borough Council is joining the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other local authorities in promoting its success so far.

The scheme, which rates businesses’ food hygiene from zero (urgent improvement necessary) to five (very good), is giving consumers informed choice and is driving up hygiene standards in food outlets.

325 out of a total of 326 local authorities in England now operate the FHRS scheme, compared to 137 in its first year. Around 93% of food businesses are rated at three or higher. Over a third of businesses displaying their rating at their premises say it has made a difference by attracting more custom, improving their reputation and increasing customer confidence.

The FSA wants to build on this success and reduce consumer risk even further. It wants more and more people to check a business’s food hygiene rating before choosing where to dine, whether that’s by looking before booking a table at a local restaurant or ordering their favourite take away.

There are over 455,000 ratings available to view online and it’s really easy to check the hygiene rating of a food business by visiting food.gov.uk/ratings, using a mobile phone app or looking out for the green and black sticker on display in the premises.

Jonathan Bramley, Scarborough Borough Council Environment and Regulation Manager said: “We’re proud to be part of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, playing our part in protecting the public and driving up standards in our local food businesses.

“More and more customers are making an informed choice by voting with their feet so we’re encouraging all businesses in our borough to display their rating. For those that don’t yet check ratings, we urge you to start. The truth is, you don’t know how good or clean a food business is until you check.

“We’d like to thank those businesses who work hard to achieve a good rating and we encourage those that haven’t quite made the mark to be inspired by their peers and strive for a rating that they can be proud of. This in turn will encourage more customers to dine or buy from them, which can only be good for business.”

Anyone running a food business, no matter how small, can achieve the top FHRS rating of five. Businesses can find out more at: http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/hygieneratings or contact the council’s Environmental Health team for advice on 01723 232323.