The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently working towards the introduction of a national scheme, called Scores on the Doors, to provide the public with information on food hygiene standards.

Ards Borough Council & North Down Borough Council
	Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

It is anticipated that this will not be operational until after April 2010. In the interim, Ards and North Down Borough Councils have decided to publish information on hygiene standards in food businesses in their areas. The information has been produced using a star-rating system, based on the FSA Pilot scheme, currently operated by other councils within Northern Ireland.

The published hygiene standards relate to routine food hygiene inspections carried out by Environmental Health Officers since September 2008. They have been scored using the risk scoring methods contained within the FSA’s Food Law Code Of Practice and are subject to consistency review. Any business, which has not yet been inspected within this time period, will not have an assessed hygiene score included until after the next programmed inspection of their premises. Their details and hygiene score will be added to the scheme within one month of the date of inspection.

All food premises will be included in the publication except

• Child minders operating from their own homes
• Very low risk premises that are subject to alternative enforcement methods (indicated on the document by “AES”)

Businesses are under no obligation to display their star rating, but the Council will supply a certificate to them, for this purpose, upon request.

The scheme allows Ards and North Down Borough Councils to provide information uniformly on all food businesses in a way that is clear, fair to businesses and easily understood by the public. The joint approach between Councils recognises that food businesses in the two boroughs operate within the same community and facilitates consistency in the release of information.

In order to access this information, please first read and accept the following disclaimer-

The information held has been gathered by suitably qualified Environmental Health Officers in the course of their inspections.  All inspections are carried out in accordance with the Food Safety Act, the European Communities Act and their regulations, and the Food Standards Agency's Code of Practice and Guidance. Food premises may only be inspected every 6 - 36 months as specified in the Food Standards Agency's Code of Practice.  The hygiene rating given to premises on this web site has been based on the latest inspection carried out and as such represents the situation as found by the officer on the day of that inspection.  Therefore the score may not be representative of the overall, long-term food hygiene standards of the business and should not solely be relied upon as a guide to food safety or food quality.