Chef garnishing food in the kitchen

RESTAURANTS and takeaways across Knebworth and Codicote will soon be rated on a new hygiene standard.

Cooks working in kitchen

North Herts District Council’s Scores on the Doors system will be replaced with the nationally-recognised Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS).

Since its introduction in 2009, restaurants, takeaways, schools, residential homes and other places where prepared food is served directly to the public have received a Scores on the Doors rating based on the standards of food safety.

The FHRS, run by the Food Standards Agency, will cover the same range of premises.

Similar to Scores on the Doors, FHRS will rate premises on a scale of 0 to 5, with 0 meaning ‘urgent improvement necessary’ and 5 ‘very good’.

Cllr Bernard Lovewell said: “The Scores on the Doors ratings were very popular with businesses and residents, but it has become clear that the new FHRS will become the single national food safety rating system.

“It will be the one that people, including visitors to the district, will expect us to use.

“While it will look very similar, we’ll also be saving money by adopting the new scoring system, so it was an obvious choice.”

The ratings will be available for anyone to view on the FSA website (see link – top right) ratings and the business will be given a sticker to display.