Council environmental health teams score food outlets from zero to five based on factors such as kitchen cleanliness, cooking methods and food management.
Businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland are legally required to display their rating. However, in England, businesses do not have to display the rating they have been awarded, with those scoring low marks much less likely to put them on show to customers.
The LGA believes that businesses – including restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, sandwich shops, supermarkets and delicatessens – that fail to comply should be fined or prosecuted.
Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:
“The conversion of EU law as part of Brexit will impact on many council services that affect people’s day-to-day lives, including how to protect people from being served unsafe food.
“The post-Brexit review of EU laws gives the Government choices. We believe that food hygiene laws need to be strengthened, where necessary, with ‘Scores on the Doors’ ratings being a good area of opportunity to do this.
“With mandatory hygiene rating display already in force in Wales and Northern Ireland, the UK leaving the EU provides a crucial opportunity to toughen up food safety laws by extending the legislation to England as well. Food hygiene standards and compliance levels have risen since the scheme was introduced in Wales.
“The lack of a hygiene rating sticker in a business means customers are left in the dark on official kitchen cleanliness levels when eating or buying food there.
“A food hygiene rating distinguishes between appearance and reality. A food outlet may have nice décor but that doesn’t mean that hygiene standards are good enough to avoid being served a ‘dodgy’ burger or salad that could pose a serious risk to someone’s health.
“Councils have seen some shocking examples of poor or dangerous hygiene and always take action to improve standards at rogue food premises.
“Making the display of hygiene ratings compulsory in England is good for business. Not only would it incentivise food outlets to improve or maintain high hygiene standards – which would reduce the risk of illness for customers – it would also improve consumer confidence and save taxpayers’ money by reducing the need for, and cost of, enforcement action by councils.”
- Horrified food inspectors at Enfield Council found a rat’s nests with live babies, cockroaches leaving flour in a dough mixer machine, and rat faeces and urine over food packaging materials during an inspection at a bakery. Following a prosecution by the council, the bakery and its owner were ordered to pay a total of £7,176 in fines and costs.
- In a prosecution brought by Hillingdon Council, a West London fast food restaurant and its director were ordered to pay £19,518 after mouse droppings were found in the food preparation area, staff were not washing their hands before touching customers’ food and food was left in freezers that were not switched on. The restaurant had been given a zero food hygiene rating but had repeatedly ignored warnings to improve cleanliness standards.
- A Merseyside restaurant was prosecuted by Sefton Council after health inspectors found dead flies in pans of bolognese, bird faeces in an extractor fan and out-of-date lasagne, and a large dead insect in a trifle. There was also no disinfectant product on the premises. The owner was fined £750.
- Following a prosecution by Waltham Forest Council, the owner of a Chinese restaurant was banned from operating a business for life and ordered to pay £11,576 after it was found to be infested with cockroaches. Shelving that contained food was also contaminated with mice droppings and urine, and there was a foul odour of rotting food.
- In a prosecution by Harrow Council, the owner of a vermin-infested fast food shop received a lifetime ban on running a food business and was ordered to pay £24,905 after food hygiene inspectors found rodent droppings all over the premises, including on rotting cucumbers and tomatoes, and in food storage, preparation and serving areas. The shop was so filthy that even its food safety guide was found covered in dirt on the floor.
In a separate prosecution by the council, the owner of a “cash and carry” was fined £4,550 after bite marks, excrement and urine was found on chocolate bars on sale due to a rat infestation.
- The owners of an Essex pub and one of its directors were ordered to pay a total of £43,358 after rats were found nesting under the fridge in its kitchen, following a prosecution by Chelmsford City Council. The pub was shut down and one of the directors banned indefinitely from managing any food business.
· The owner of a kebab takeaway was ordered to pay £3,550 at court after officers at South Oxfordshire District Council found that a food storage building was infested by rats and covered in dirt and rat droppings.
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