FODC_Inform News_Winter 2022

Look Before You Book This Christmas!! 17 www. fermanaghomagh .com It’s that time of year again – the festive season is upon us and the big day is only weeks away. It’s officially party season – the perfect excuse to get together with your friends, family and colleagues to enjoy the seasonal festivities. Many of us choose a venue based on word of mouth, or because we have visited it before, but how many of us consider the food hygiene rating of a restaurant before we book? Food hygiene ratings are a superb indication of how dedicated a restaurant, hotel or food outlet is to food safety. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is run by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with District Councils. District Councils are responsible for carrying out inspections of food businesses to check that they meet the requirements of food hygiene law. The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are 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’ – meaning that hygiene standards are very good. i Before you select a location for your Christmas gatherings, don’t forget to Look Before You Book and check out the food hygiene rating scheme: https://ratings.food.gov.uk/