Note from the district council

If you are planning a Christmas meal with work colleagues, friends or family in St Albans District check the food hygiene ratings for restaurants before you book.

St Albans City and District Council inspects local food businesses to check they comply with food safety and hygiene regulations and gives them a score.

The food hygiene ratings run from 0-5, with five representing a very good level of hygiene and a zero indicating that urgent improvement is required.

The Council is a part of the Food Standards Agency’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and puts all its ratings on the scheme’s website at: www.food.gov.uk/ratings. Local restaurants and food businesses are also given a Food Standards Agency green and black sticker showing their food hygiene rating to display on their windows.

You can’t tell a restaurant’s hygiene standards by how clean and tidy the staff look, or by how busy it is. It’s the things you can’t see – like germs spread by bad hygiene practices – that you need to consider when selecting a restaurant. If there is no green and black sticker in the window or you spot a low rating online, you can make an informed choice about where to book.

Nationally, 93% of food businesses are rated three or better through the Food Standards Agency’s scheme so there are plenty of eating places with good standards.