Hartlepool in top 10 nationwide for food hygiene standards
The consumer rights campaign group found a huge variation in food hygiene standards across the country, with one in five high or medium risk food establishments failing to meet requirements.
Which? analysed data submitted to the Food Standard Authority and Food Standards Scotland by 386 UK local authorities and ranked them based on the proportion of medium and high risk premises meeting hygiene requirements, the proportion of total premises rated for risk, and the proportion of planned interventions (such as inspections or follow up actions) the authorities achieved.
Hartlepool was the tenth best performer nationwide overall.
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Hide AdAlex Neill, Which? managing director of Home Services, said: “People expect their food to be safe, but there is clearly still work to be done.
“As we prepare to leave the EU, the Government and regulators need to ensure that there is a robust, independent system of enforcement in place to give people confidence that the food they’re eating is hygienic.”
Paul Edmondson-Jones, interim director of public health at Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Ensuring the highest possible standards of food hygiene in premises across the town is a high priority for us and it is very reassuring to be placed in the top ten of all local authorities across the UK.
“Hartlepool Borough Council is one of only three authorities to have remained in the top ten and this reflects our ongoing work with food outlets across the town to promote best practice.”