Scores on the Doors

A good caterer will always be happy to let you look around their kitchen, but this isn't necessarily the best way to spend an evening out! So why not check out the "Scores on the Doors" before you go, and eat with confidence.

Newham will be joining up with other London Boroughs to pilot a scheme called 'Scores on the Doors', a scheme to publish the scores given to food businesses after an inspection by a food inspector. The scores will be based on the hygiene and structural conditions found during the inspection and the business's overall attitude to complying with the law.

The scheme applies to restaurants, cafes, pubs, takeaways and canteens. It aims to improve food hygiene standards in these premises in Newham and across London, reduce risks to health, but also give members of the public an opportunity to make more informed choices about where they shop and eat.

Scores on the Doors is designed to give the public access to food hygiene information about food premises in the borough. It is part of The Food Standards Agency's strategic plan to reduce foodborne illnesses. Similar schemes are used in New York, Los Angeles, Denmark and New Zealand and have resulted in a general improvement in hygiene conditions in food businesses.

How will it work?

Food businesses are inspected at regular intervals by food inspectors based on risk, so those premises posing the greatest risk to health are dealt with as a priority and inspected more frequently.

Under the scheme, when businesses are inspected a score will be given on how well they have performed on hygiene, structural conditions and their overall attitude to complying with the law.

A business with excellent standards will be awarded five stars and at the other end of the scale a very poor business will not receive any stars at all. Each business will be given a certificate showing the number of stars awarded to them and they will have the option to display this certificate where the public can see it.

The scores range from "0" stars (very poor hygiene) to "5" stars (excellent hygiene).

Performance Level	Compliance General Guidance	Star Rating	Score - total of: Confidence in Management + Compliance: Hygiene & Safety + Compliance: Premises Structure
Excellent	Very high standards of compliance with food safety legislation. Demonstrating best practice in managing and achieving this.	5 Star	0 to 5
Very Good	High standard of compliance with food safety legislation. Robust food safety management.	4 Star	10 to 15
Good	Good level of legal compliance. Only minor safety issues not addressed.	3 Star	20 to 25
Broadly Compliant	Broadly compliant with food safety legislation. An understanding of food safety and standards being maintained or being improved.	2 Star	30
Poor	Some non compliance with food safety legislation - more effort required.	1 Star	35 to 45
Very Poor	A general failure to comply with legal requirements. Little or no appreciation of food safety.	No Star	50 or more

The scores from Newham venues and other London boroughs are available on the Your London website.

Food businesses can, if they wish, display a certificate showing their scores either in their window or on the door. Although, at present it is not compulsory to display their certificates, we will be encouraging our businesses to do so, so that members of the public can easily see their food hygiene standards.

Publishing this information will be popular with consumers, and will give proper recognition to those businesses that have high standards and want to maintain that level, while encouraging those that have poor standards to improve.

It is important to stress that the scheme does not alter or affect the legal or hygiene standards that food businesses currently have to achieve. These remain unchanged and EHOs will continue to carry out their work in the same manner as during previous years. Instead, the new scheme is designed to give the public extra information about local food businesses and make the process of the council's work more transparent to both the public and businesses alike.

Please download our Frequently Asked Questions (pdf) if you have any questions about the new initiative.

For more information, email the Food Safety Unit at food@newham.gov.uk.