READING is near the bottom of the pile in the South East when it comes to food hygiene ratings.
It has 658 establishments that serve food to the public, and the average score on the door is 4.45, making it 19th out of 22.
Only Portsmouth, Slough, and High Wycombe were below it.
At the bottom of the pile, High Wycombe had an average score of 4.27, though it did increase its average score from 3.95 in 2019.
In top spot is Hastings: it has an average of 4.83.
The research by online training provider High Speed Training analysed Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for more than 230,000 food businesses across the UK, and found the average rating in the south east was 4.60 – up from 4.47 three years ago.
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) aims to provide customers with information as to how well a business is upholding food hygiene and safety standards, with five being the maximum rating businesses can achieve.
The scores are devised from regular inspections, looking at the standard of food handling hygiene, the physical condition of the premises and facilities and food safety management practices.
These ratings are then made available on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website and are usually visible from outside of the premises, often presented in a window near the entrance.
High Speed Training’s report also found that more than one in six takeaways (16.89%) across the region scored 3 or below for their food hygiene rating, while more than 90% of premises scored a 4 or a 5 on their rating.
Eilidh Paton, Owner of Alba Food Safety Consultancy and Chartered Environmental Health Officer, said: “Food Hygiene inspections and ratings are extremely important. From a legal perspective, they ensure businesses are compliant, but mostly, they are designed to help businesses provide safer food.
“It also gives consumers the assurance that businesses are safe to eat in as they are regularly inspected by competent officers.”
And Richard Anderson, Head of Learning Development at High Speed Training said: “For those customers turning a blind eye when it comes to checking a hygiene rating, we would definitely urge you not to as ignorance isn’t always bliss! We would always recommend checking hygiene ratings before eating at an establishment so you can make an informed call as to whether you eat there.”
The report can be read at: https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/food-hygiene-ratings-report-2022/
