Our environmental health officers inspect food businesses in Hull to check that they meet the requirements of food hygiene law. Each time we inspect a business we give it a new rating.
When inspections take place
Food hygiene inspections are unannounced. How often the inspections take place depends on the type of business and the potential hazards as well as how well it is operated. The greater the risk, the more often we'll inspect the business.
If the business owner or manager makes improvements to hygiene standards, they can ask us to carry out a visit before the date of the next planned inspection. This means these improvements can be checked and a new rating could be given.
How businesses are rated
The hygiene standards found at the time of the inspection are then rated on a scale.
- At the bottom of the scale is 0 - this means urgent improvement is required.
- At the top of the scale is 5 - this means the hygiene standards are very good.
The rating given shows how well the business does overall. The business may do better in some areas and less well in others and the rating takes this into account. This includes those areas that need improving the most.
The officer will explain to the person who owns or manages the business what improvements need to be made and what action they can take to improve their hygiene rating.
All inspections will result in a report letter that clearly identifies the areas where non-compliance was noted, and this is detailed under the three headings confidence in management, structure, and practices.
Letters including the rating together with the window sticker will either be left at the premises or if substantial improvements are needed it will be sent within 14 days of the inspection being carried out. Request for early publication of your hygiene rating.
Request for early publication of your hygiene rating
If you are satisfied with your new food hygiene rating, you can request for the rating to be published before the appeals period has ended.
If you disagree with your hygiene rating
If you do not agree with your business's rating you can appeal or request a re-visit if you have made significant improvements.
You also have the ‘right to reply'.
Find out more about appeals, right to reply and re-visits
Businesses given a rating of 0 or 1
Businesses that are given ratings of 0 or 1 must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards.
Our environmental health officers will use several enforcement tools and will give advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.
If the officer finds that a business's hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to health (this means food is not safe to eat) the officer must take action to make sure that consumers are protected.
This could mean prohibiting part of an operation or closing the business down.
Contact us
Food Safety Team
Hull City Council
33 Witham
Hull
HU9 1DB
Tel: 01482 300 300
Email: foodandhealth&safety@hullcc.gov.uk
