Kitchens aim for the stars

Anita Fletcher, principal environmental health officer for Worcester City Council, says a scheme to publicly name and shame city eateries that fail to maintain basic hygiene standards is having a hugely positive effect.

But she also expressed surprise at the discovery some of Worcester’s finest restaurants have not scored highly when it comes to keeping their kitchens hygienic.

The council signed up to the national Scores on the Doors scheme in January, publishing on a website the results of every food hygiene inspection it had undertaken in the previous six months.

At that time, we revealed nearly one in four food outlets inspected had not even met the absolute minimum hygiene standards.

But now a further 228 outlets have been inspected – and the proportion failing to meet basic requirements has fallen to almost one in ten.

“We’ve found this to be an absolutely fantastic scheme,” Ms Fletcher said. “Businesses are talking to each other, they’re now very aware of the scheme and it’s motivating them to put their resources into food hygiene and improving their premises.

“I think it’s the publicity. They don’t like people being able to see what goes on behind the scenes.”

To date, 384 Worcester establishments have been inspected, with each being given an overall star rating between zero and five stars.

So far, nine have received the worst possible rating of no stars, signifying “very poor.. almost total non-compliance”, and 34 have received a score of one star, signifying “poor.. standards generally low”.

A further 45 received the absolute minimum of two stars, signifying they are “broadly compliant” but still have “some major non-compliance with statutory obligations”.

“Two stars is the minimum that’s really acceptable,” Ms Fletcher said. “Our aim is to get every establishment up to at least that standard by 2010. But none of the premises we inspected were so bad we had to close them down.”

At the other end of the scale, 58 city food outlets have now achieved the maximum score of five stars, signifying “excellent” standards of hygiene.

But Ms Fletcher admits she has been surprised to find some of Worcester’s most highly-rated restaurants have not scored nearly so well.

“I have been surprised by some of the results,” she said. “I’m surprised there isn’t a direct correlation with premises which might appear to be good on the quality of their food – it doesn’t necessarily mean they are fully compliant on hygiene.”

BLOB: To see the council’s full list of hygiene ratings for local food outlets, visit scoresonthedoors.org.uk.

Food hygiene ratings - (out of a possible five)

Zero Stars - “Very Poor. Major improvement required. Almost total non-compliance with statutory obligations.”

Cathedral News, Fish Street
Costcutter, Prestwich Avenue, Ronkswood
Pink Garlic, Wylds Lane
Cafe Vienna, Friary Walk, Crowngate
La Piccola Brindisi, Friar Street
Three Lions Meat Co., Friary Walk, Crowngate
Sylhet Restaurant, Lowesmoor
Crown and Anchor Inn, Hylton Road, St John’s
King Charles II Restaurant, New Street

One Star - “Poor. General failure to satisfy statutory obligations. Standards generally low.”

Plumbers Arms, Wylds Lane
Worcester Halal Meat, Lowesmoor
Little India, Ronkswood Hill
Syd Smith and Son, Market Hall, The Shambles
Colston Bakeries, King Charles Place, St John’s
Co-op, Henwick Road, St John’s
Paisleys Tasty Catering, Trinity Street
Deers Leap, Droitwich Road
The Berwick, Bath Road
Westons News, Lichfield Avenue, Ronkswood
Sidbury Spice, Sidbury
Raven Meadow Golf Club, Hindlip Lane
Golden River, Bull Ring, St John’s
Co-Op, 387 Ombersley Road (the smaller of the two on Ombersley Road)
Brunswick Arms, Malvern Road, St John’s
Art House Cafe, Deansway
Green Hill Childrens Home, Merrimans Hill Road
J.U. and B.J. Cowley, Newtown Road, Ronkswood
Centre Point Stores, Ombersley Road
Spice Bazaar, Cole Hill, Wylds Lane
Tub-Tim-Siam, Foregate Street
Garibaldi Inn, Bromyard Road
Richardsons, Gresham Road, Dines Green
Bridge News, Foregate Street
Heroes Bar, Friar Street
Valentinos, Foregate Street
Sharkys, Lansdowne Road
Coffee Republic, High Street
Spice Merchants, Gregorys Mill Street
Drakes Drum, Tudor Way, Dines Green
Ambleside News, Ambleside Drive, Warndon
Stars Newsagents, Rose Avenue, Tolladine
Severn View Hotel, Newport Street

Two Stars - “Broadly compliant. Some major non-compliance with statutory obligations. More effort required to prevent fall in standards.”

Polski Shop, Lowesmoor
Angel Plaice Restaurant, Crowngate
GWRSA Club, Tolladine Road
Abduls, The Tything
Anarkali Indian Restaurant, The Tything
Berry's Berrys at Worcester Student Union, Worcester University, Oldbury Road
Garcia's Tapas Restaurant, Broad Street
Cannons Health Club, Perdiswell Park, Droitwich Road
Chung Ying, London Road
M Jerrum, Barbourne Road
Kilbury Sandwich Bar, Kilbury Drive, Spetchley Road
Glasshouse Brasserie, Sidbury
Worcester Golf and Country Club, Boughton Park, Bransford Road
Cafe Loco on the Quay, Croft Road
Chesters, New Street
Rileys, Shrub Hill Industrial Estate, Shrub Hill Road
Potters Family Butchers, Astwood Road
New Tony Tsang, Barbourne Road
Narraways Butcher, St John’s
The Tasty Takeaway, Bank Street
Smileys Creche, Worcestershire Royal Hospital
Thai Gallery Restaurant, Friar Street
Kinderkare, Green Hill, London Road
Sunflowers, St Josephs RC Primary School, Chedworth Drive, Warndon
Papsons, The Cornmarket
New Inn, Ombersley Road
Bombay Palace, The Tything
Good News, The Foregate
Comer Road News, Comer Road, St John’s
Sun Wah, Cavendish Street, Cherry Orchard
Time-To-Eat, Hopmarket, The Foregate
Bedwardine Inn, Bromyard Road, St John’s
Black Pear Cafe, Droitwich Road
Shipleys Amusements, Angel Place
Druckers Vienna Patisserie, Chapel Walk, Crowngate
Evolution, Lowesmoor
Breeez Tybridge Street, St John's
Cafe Loco, Foregate Street Station
Cafe Deal, Blackpole Trading Estate West, Blackpole Road
Carwardines, Pump Street
J B Supermarket, Astwood Road
Red Rooms, Church Street
Oak Apple Inn, Spetchley Road
Checketts News, Lowesmoor
Video Nest (incorporating Bargain Booze), St John’s