Scores on the Doors

Scores on the Doors is a new way of finding out about the food hygiene standards of local food businesses such as restaurants, bars and shops. Food businesses have been given a star rating based on how well they meet hygiene standards and you can now view these ratings on the internet. The better the hygiene standards, the higher the number of stars awarded, with 5 stars being the highest rating and zero the lowest.

Those premises scoring “Three stars” and above are regarded as having a good or better standards of food hygiene.  

Click here to find out what all the star ratings mean.

The rating can only reflect the standards seen at the time of inspection and many businesses have improved their standards following the inspection and advice from the Council’s Environmental Health Officers.

The Scores on the Doors scheme is supported by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as part of a nationwide pilot scheme and is seen as an important tool for local councils committed to improving food safety.

The council’s Environmental Health Officers inspect over 250 premises across the borough including restaurants, café’s, pubs which serve food and takeaways all of which have been given a star rating. You can also find out how compliant your child’s school or nursery kitchen is.

It is intended that this scheme will:

• encourage food safety compliance
• reduce illness as a result of food poisoning
• help you to make a more informed choice about where you eat.

There are four ways you can find out a premises star rating:

• ask the business directly
• look in the window or on the door of a food business to see if they are displaying a Scores on the Doors sticker or certificate
• check out the Scores on the Doors website click here to search the site
• send a text message to 60600 and type “SOTD” followed by “name of food business”  and then the town ie “Carrickfergus” .

           Customers must be aged 16 years or above to use this service and you must have the bill payer's

           permission. Texts cost 50p plus the cost of one SMS message at your standard network rate.

The vast majority of food businesses have already been given a star rating and it is anticipated that all of the food establishments in Carrickfergus will have been star rated by early 2008.

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