Running a restaurant isn’t easy, you have to balance staff and customers, costs with waste and complete all the relevant paperwork to make sure that the food you produce is safe and legal. Alongside juggling all of that you have to make sure that comply with the requirements set by the local EHO and that will mean being inspected and then receiving the dreaded Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) score.
The FHRS is what some people call “Scores on the doors” and you will receive a sticker to be displayed in your premises. The information is also available online and is designed to help the public make an informed choice about where to eat.
The score ranges from 0 to 5, with 5 meaning hygiene standards are very good and 0 meaning that urgent improvement is required.
The rating covers storage, handling and preparation of food. The physical condition of the restaurant, including cleanliness, layout ventilation and pest control as well as the management of food safety (processes, training and what systems you use). This last element is used by the EHO to assess the level of confidence in how the restaurant will be run going forward.
In England you do not have to display your FHRS but are encouraged to do so. However, the information is still available on the Food Standards agency website (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/)
Obviously putting a good score on display is a great advertisement that you are meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. A low score could always mean that a customer may decide to go elsewhere.
Having systems and a written Food Safety Management System in place can improve your FHRS as well as training and good standards of cleanliness. That’s where an audit from Mercury Support can really help, we would look at all these aspects of your business and take the time to explain how to improve upon with your management teams.
Why not call us today.