157 Food Businesses GIVEN a FIVE Rating!

Lovers across Rhondda Cynon Taf are being reminded that they can Look before they book their Valentines meals in RCT.

With OVER 150 food businesses in RCT having received a FIVE rating for their ‘Scores On The Doors’ since October 2024, they will be spoilt for choice. 

The ‘Scores On The Doors’ or to use its official name – the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme helps residents choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving them clear information about the businesses’ hygiene standards. The Food Standards Agency run the scheme in partnership with all local authorities in Wales.

The scheme gives businesses a rating from 5 to 0 which is displayed at their premises and online so residents can make a more informed Food Hygiene Rating choice about where to buy and eat food.

Over a Three-month period a total of 157 establishments were given the highest FIVE rating – this also included private settings like schools and nurseries.

There were 87 public food premises awarded a FIVE rating during the same period:

All of these food premises were given the top rating – FIVE, this means the hygiene standards are very good. To get the top rating, businesses must do well in the following three elements -

• Very good at handling the food hygienically – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored,
• The business in very good physical condition – including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and other facilities,
• The business is very good at managing the ways it keeps food safe - looking at processes, training and systems to ensure good hygiene is maintained.

Ratings are a snapshot of the standards of food hygiene found at the time of inspection. It is the responsibility of the business to comply with food hygiene law at all times.

Cllr Bob Harris, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities, said;

“Everyone in Rhondda Cynon Taf deserves to enjoy their food, with full confidence that it has been prepared in a hygienic manner - the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings helps everyone to do just that.

“Not only is it beneficial for customers, but businesses too. And I'm really happy to see that over 150 food businesses in RCT have been given a ‘5’ rating during the recent inspections. We are lucky to have some lovely and unique eateries in our County Borough and there are many more than the ones highlighted here, that have a ‘5’ ratings – these are just the ones from the last three months! You can check the ratings of all premises online at https://ratings.food.gov.uk.”

The food hygiene rating scheme does not provide information on the following factors:

• quality of the food, customer service, culinary skill, presentation, comfort, compliance with food standards and allergen law.

For more information on food safety inspections in Rhondda Cynon Taf please visit - https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Business/LicencesandPermits/Foodbusinesslicenceandregulations/Foodsafetyinspection.aspx

To search a rating of a local food premises visit - https://ratings.food.gov.uk/