Three South Holland premises are deemed as requiring “major improvement” under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Baltic in Spalding, Whaplode Service Station and Wimberley Hall Farm Shop and Café in Weston have all been given a rating of 1 – the second-worst possible in the government-led scheme.
Seven other businesses have a rating of 2 (improvement necessary).
However, the total of ten which fall below the acceptable standard is a small percentage of the 743 South Holland premises inspected.
And, pleasingly for residents looking for the best places to shop and eat, the largest category is the top rating of 5 (very good).
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is run by local authorities (in this area South Holland District Council) in partnership with the Food Standards Agency.
Ratings are given to restaurants, takeaways, cafés, sandwich shops, pubs, hotels, supermarkets, bakeries, deli-catessens, schools, hospitals and residential care homes.
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme says: “The scheme helps you choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving you information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, hotels and other places you eat, as well as supermarkets and other food shops.
“It’s not easy to judge hygiene standards on appearance alone, so the rating gives you an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen, or behind closed doors.
“You can check the ratings and use the information to switch to or choose a place with higher standards. It’s also good to share this information with friends and family.
“The scheme also encourages businesses to improve hygiene standards.”
In issuing a rating, food safety officers check:
- how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored
- condition of the structure of buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities
- how the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe and so that the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future
These are rating 2 – ‘improvement necessary’:
- Friends Pizzeria, Station Street, Spalding
- Gosberton Village Store, 2 Belchmire Lane, Gosberton
- International Food, 4 Winsover Road, Spalding
- Munch Box (mobile caterer)
- New Eastern Delight, 19 High Street, Holbeach
- Rafael’s Coffee Shop, 28 Westlode Street, Spalding
- The Tea Room, 31 High Street, Holbeach
(All ratings featured are as published on www.food.gov.uk on May 18)
