| Until last year if you lived in the UK
| |
| | Bristol and Camden in London
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| and wanted to find out about
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| | (which includes Soho), and seaside
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| restaurant hygiene standards from the
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| | resorts such as Weymouth and Great
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| public health authorities, you
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| | Yarmouth. Most councils use symbols such
|
| could forget it! All information was
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| | as stars to give
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| deemed "commercially confidential" and
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| | ratings, with the most common ratings
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| closely
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| | being based on stars, usually
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| guarded by local councils. Now
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| | five in number. A word of warning
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| everything has changed with
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| | though! The councils use slightly
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| the Freedom of Information Act, and you
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| | different
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| can ask for the latest
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| | scoring systems, so check what they mean
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| inspection report for any food business
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| | on each site.
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| anywhere in the country.At first some
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| | Generally the more stars or other
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| councils refused requests, fearing
| |
| | symbols the better.
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| either legal action by angry
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| | A low number of symbols may mean the
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| restaurateurs, or that their
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| | premises had some poor
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| relationships
| |
| | hygiene at the last inspection, so on a
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| with businesses would be damaged. The
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| | five star based scheme
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| Information
| |
| | look for at least three stars. Of
|
| Commissioner, a government watchdog,
| |
| | course, the
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| made a ruling in late 2005
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| | rating is based on a single inspection
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| which means that all councils should now
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| | on a particular day, so things
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| respond to requests.
| |
| | may have changed since the last
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| There is no charge for requests on a
| |
| | inspection, for good or worse. It's not
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| small scale, but if you
| |
| | just restaurants you can check out. The
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| ask for reports on every restaurant in
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| | hygiene
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| your town, expect to be advised
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| | standards of school kitchens, day
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| that there will be a substantial charge!
| |
| | nurseries, hospitals, flight
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| But lets face it, who wants all the
| |
| | catering, and your local takeaway are
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| hassle of making a formal written
| |
| | just a few clicks away.
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| request anyway, especially if it might
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| | The easiest way to find out which
|
| trigger a charge?
| |
| | councils are
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| There is an easier way, as many councils
| |
| | publishing is to go to
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| are now
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| | Scores-on-the-Doors
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| publishing summary versions of
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| | where they are all listed. So before you
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| inspection reports on the web.
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| | book a table next time, or head out for a
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| At the moment the numbers are fairly
| |
| | takeaway, check out the latest hygiene
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| limited, but include
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| | report on-line.
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| some large councils such as Birmingham,
| |
| |
|
