You can check the food hygiene rating of businesses in Tonbridge and Malling on the Food Standards Agency website.
Check ratings on the FSA website
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is a national system for rating premises from grade 0 to 5.
How do businesses get a rating?
At programmed inspections, food safety officers check how well the business is meeting the law on food hygiene. Three areas are assessed. The areas assessed are:
- how hygienically food is handled - how it is prepared, cooked, cooled, stored and what measures are taken to prevent food being contaminated with bacteria. Possible scores are 0 (excellent hygiene), 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 (very poor hygiene standards)
- the condition of the structure of the premises including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, equipment and other facilities. Possible scores are 0 (excellent structure), 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 (very poor structure)
- how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe using a system like Safer food, better business. Possible scores are 0 (officers are highly confident in the business), 10, 20, 30 (officers have no confidence in the business)
The food hygiene rating depends on how well the business does overall - the total score. It also depends on the area(s) that need improving the most. A business may do better in some areas and less well in others.
To get the top rating, a business must score no more than 5 in each of the three areas. All should be able to obtain this. Businesses automatically get a new rating at each planned inspection.
Rating 5 (very good)
- total score under 15
- highest individual score 5
- very high standards of food safety management. Fully compliant with food safety legislation
Rating 4 (good)
- total score 20
- highest individual score 10
- good food safety management. High standard of compliance with food safety management
Rating 3 (generally satisfactory)
- total score 25 - 30
- highest individual score 10
- broadly compliant with food safety legislation. Some more effort might be required
Rating 2 (improvement necessary)
- total score 35 - 40
- highest individual score 15
- more effort required to meet all legal requirements
Rating 1 (major improvement necessary)
- total score 45 - 50
- highest individual score 20
- poor level of compliance with food safety legislation - much more effort required
Rating 0 (urgent improvement necessary)
- total score over 50
- no highest individual score
- a general failure to comply with legal requirements. Little or no appreciation of food safety. Major effort required