PUBLICATION OF FOOD HYGIENE INFORMATION
“SCORES ON THE DOORS”
The Council is aware that the Shipshape Food Hygiene Award only highlights those food businesses that achieve standards higher than the law requires.
In common with other councils in Hampshire, Gosport Borough Council is looking into ways of publicising the results of its food hygiene inspections on the Council’s website. This would be a positive way to present information to the public and to help maintain and improve standards of hygiene throughout the food trade.
Some councils have already introduced such schemes, which have become known as "Scores on the Doors". Unfortunately, as there is no national standard, at present, for reporting “Scores on the Doors”, there are currently a variety of different visual means in use on other councils’ websites to indicate the food hygiene scores of food businesses. This is confusing to the public and different indicators may be in use in neighbouring councils.
Whilst the Food Standards Agency will be funding trials in London and the East Midlands, in order to devise a national "Scores on the Doors" scheme, it is estimated that full implementation will not be for at least two years.
In order to provide information to local consumers, Gosport Council is taking part in a county-wide pilot to devise a standardised method for indicating “Scores on the Doors” for all food businesses (not just restaurants, pubs and cafes) throughout Hampshire. This will include providing the relevant information on a dedicated website.
It is hoped that this should be up and running by April 2007.
Further information will be provided here when the start date of the Hampshire scheme has been finalised, together with guidance on how it will work.
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