More than a quarter of Telford & Wrekin food businesses checked out in the latest round of the Scores on the Doors assessments notched up top marks.
The results of 32 inspections have gone online and nine of the outlets involved were awarded the maximum of five stars. Organisers have hailed the value of the scheme for both residents and visitors to the area.
Among the five-star businesses were the Tasty Fryer in Wombridge Road, Trench, New College in King Street, Wellington, Stirchley Primary School in Grange Avenue, Stirchley, and Eden Food Service at Hadley Learning Community in Waterloo Road, Hadley.
A further eight outlets got four stars meaning more than half of those assessed were ranked in the top two categories.
The Scores on the Doors scheme which launched on June 1, 2008, by Telford & Wrekin Council to help local people and visitors to the area make an informed choice about where they eat and buy food.
Food businesses, including pubs, restaurants, take-aways, private caterers, care homes and school kitchens, are inspected by the council’s environmental health officers and given a star rating published on the website www.telford.gov.uk/scoresonthedoors.
Outlets with the highest standards in food hygiene and safety, structure and confidence in management, get five stars while those with the lowest are awarded zero stars.
All premises scoring two stars or above comply with the law. Any star rating can be withdrawn if a business’s standards are found to have dropped on later inspection.
Councillor Miles Hosken, cabinet member for community protection and cohesion, said: “Scores on the Doors is an excellent facility for local people and visitors to the area.
“It was set up to give people the chance to make an informed choice about where they eat or buy food from.
“The scheme is not about promoting any one business or selection of businesses but about giving people the chance to see something that might affect their decision before they buy. It is also a key way of driving up standards in food businesses which is good for everyone.”