Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) helps consumers choose where to eat out or where to order food from. The scheme gives the public information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways and supermarkets at the time they are inspected by authorised officers from the Food & Safety team.

The scheme encourages businesses to improve hygiene standards with the aim of reducing the incidence of foodborne illness. This scheme is run in partnership with the Food Standards Agency.

Improving Your Rating

There are a number of different ways to obtain information on what changes to make to improve your rating:

• You can request an advice visit from a Food Safety Officer, who will visit your business and offer guidance on how to meet the required food safety regulations.
• After a routine inspection, improvements that you need to make will be detailed in your food hygiene report.
• The Food Standards Agency also provides resources to download for you to help your business get the most out of your hygiene rating. These include business and industry publications.

Appeals

If you consider that your food hygiene rating is unjust, you may appeal the rating. Before an appeal is made, it is advisable that you contact the inspecting officer to discuss the score. If you feel an appeal is still necessary, this must be made in writing within 14 days of being notified of the food hygiene rating score for your business. To make an appeal, please submit an Appeals form. You can email the form or post it to the address below.

Right to Reply

You also have a right to reply. This enables you to give an explanation of subsequent actions that have been taken to rectify non-compliances, or mitigation for the circumstances at the time of the inspection that may have led to a low food hygiene rating. The right to reply is not to complain about or criticise an inspecting officer. To exercise your right to reply, please submit a Right to Reply form. You can email the form or post it to the address below.

Request a Re-score

You can request a re-score for re-assessing the food hygiene rating of your business. This only applies to businesses with ratings of '0' - '4' where the necessary improvements have been made to address non-compliance issues identified during the inspection. This request is entered with a view to receive a higher rating. An unannounced visit will be carried out within three months of receipt of the request and payment.

• To request a re-score, please complete a Re-score form.
• When you have filled out the re-score form please send it via email to envhealth@stratford-dc.gov.uk
• When the form has been sent to us, please make a payment of £225 using the code 13011/3320 by calling 01789 260 979

Contact

• Email: envhealth@stratford-dc.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01789 260835
• Report it Online
• Post: Food & Safety Team, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX