Nantwich pubs, restaurants, takeaways and coffee shops will be subject to a new rating system which council chiefs say will boost hygiene.
The scheme is designed to help residents choose where to eat and encourage businesses to improve standards.
Cheshire East Council’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme will be applied to every business that sells food to the public.
Outlets will be rated on a scale of zero to five, and ratings will be available from April 30 on a new site www.food.gov.uk/ratings
Phillip Martin, who runs The Crown Hotel in Nantwich (pictured), welcomed the new system.
He said: “It’s a good idea, I’m all for business being checked, it doesn’t happen enough.
“We are a three rating and striving to get to a four. I think with a building as old as ours, it will be impossible to ever get a five.”
Lousie Bastow, director of Firenze restaurant and The Cheshire Cat, on Welsh Row, added: “It’s a good idea in principal, however I do know that it’s caused problems in other boroughs.
“The scheme was in place for Staffordshire Moorlands but was withdrawn because of the negative impact it had on businesses and the scope for misinterpretation of the results.
“Food safety and hygiene will always be regarded by us as of paramount importance, regardless of whether the results are published or not.”
Inspectors will look at how hygienically the food is handled, prepared, cooked, cooled and stored; the property’s cleanliness, lighting, layout and ventilation; and how the business manages and records what it does.
Cheshire East says all Nantwich businesses will be written to, and sent a certificate and a window sticker to display. They have 14 days to query the rating.
Cllr Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member with responsibility for safer and stronger communities, said: “This will let Cheshire East residents make an informed choice about where they go to eat out or shop for food.
“A high rating will also act as a good advertisement for the business and reassure customers. It will help our officers in improving food hygiene standards and highlight which premises need our attention.
“Initial inspections show nearly 70 per cent achieved the top two ratings and we will seek to build on these figures over the coming months.”
Thats good news.