Health officers inspected
premises serving food across Kent

by Nisha Chopra

Kent diners can now check if restaurants are dishing up more than just their favourite dishes. Inspectors from councils across Kent have visited food businesses to score the hygiene of their premises.

People planning to dine out or get a takeaway can make use of a new web service that allows them to see the clean grading of their local restuarants, cafes, pubs and takeaways.

Food safety officers replaced the old "Scores on the
Doors" scheme with an online rating system where users
can search by town or restaurant.

A grade of five mean the restaurant's cleanliness is
excellent, while one means urgent improvement is
necessary.

Inspectors checked everything from how food is handled to
the layout and lighting of the building.

Among those in Kent to score a rating of just one is The
Snack Bar in Rochester Way, Dartford - while Peony Chinese
restaurant, in Maidstone Road, Charing, scored a top five.

Ashford Borough Council has helped spearhead the initiative,
which the authority says can help businesses attract new customers
by giving them the chance to display certificates and stickers
showing good hygiene scores.

Environmental health manager Sheila Davison said: "This is a national scheme that involves looking at conditions in food businesses and helping consumers to think about where they're going to buy food, where they're going to eat and knowing the food is safe and the premises is up to standards. "Consumers are looking for the ratings they'll see stickers on doors and it's encouraging for customers. "This is actually about promoting the good businesses and increasing the number of customers that they have."