Launched three years ago to raise standards of food hygiene, Liverpool City Council’s Scores On The Doors initiative has worked wonders!  The online database, which allows the public to check the condition, quality and standards of food and premises at various outlets around the city, has meant that food businesses have bucked-up their standards.  Where only 10 of 1006 businesses achieved a 5-star rating in 2006 (and 43 achieved no start whatsoever), 206 of the 2186 on the database today have a 5-star rating and only 15 have none!  Without getting too bogged down in numbers, it is also well worth knowing that the majority of businesses on the database (1508 of 2186) have 3 or more stars.

Councillor Berni Turner, the council’s executive member for the environment, said of the scheme that it has been “a huge success” and points out that making the ratings public has mean that many premises are now working to improve.  What is especially useful to the scheme is that inspectors can turn up without any notice and the star rating awarded is based on the food hygiene standards that the inspector finds during the visit.

Finally, a real step forwards for food hygiene standards!