Check out food hygiene ratings

Good company and great food are the ingredients for a great meal out during the festive season - and, as well as checking the menu, it’s worth checking the food hygiene rating if you are eating out this Christmas.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by Brighton & Hove City Council’s food safety team.

Businesses in the area are rated on a scale ranging from 0 which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ to a top rating of 5 which is ‘very good’.     

Brighton & Hove has a huge choice of eateries and currently 92% - 2360 food businesses - are rated 3 (‘satisfactory’) or more.

Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors to find out how businesses in the city are doing or visit the council’s website food hygiene ratings

Councillor Pete West, chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: "We have a fantastic selection of places to eat out in Brighton & Hove and, if you are eating out over the festive period, it makes sense to look before you book and check out the food hygiene rating. It is quick and easy to check - ratings for every business can be viewed online and there is also a free app available."

Catriona Stewart, Head of the Food Hygiene Ratings Team at the Food Standards Agency, said: “The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is a great tool when choosing where to eat out, particularly when celebrating a special meal, because it tells you what’s going in the kitchen and behind the scenes. For local eateries, a good rating will be good for business during the festive season.”

You can download the free food hygiene ratings app from Google Play (Android) and iTunes.