Five Star Rating

[LondonRascal]

@ Soundings: I don't bore easily, but did go back through the thread and found you say:

Quote

I think Speedtriple is of the view that an outlet is either fit for business or it is not. Personally I agree. The idea of a system that says "hey this place is not good but you can come on in if you want" seems ridiculous. And especially so if, and I may be wrong here, there is no law saying the rating must be displayed.

I grasp things now but I still do not agree.

Lets just say that upon inspection it was found that some raw meet was being stored, on a tray, above cooked foods. That poses a risk of cross contamination. However, it can also be said that it is unlikely that the meats juices would come into contact with the cooked foods below.

In a system of 'fit for business or not' the example above would mean the establishment would pass, it would be deemed fit for business and be open. 

Under a ratings based system the establishment would loose some points because of the risk of cross contamination being present.

That then tells the likes of me that somewhere only having a rating of 2 or 3 may have one of this issues - a risk it might be a small risk or a larger risk. 

A great example of this I have seen in practice - there are many Kebab restaurants where I live. One of them has a rating of 5 - when they slice the Donner Kebab they have a knife with a red handle, when they cut open the Pitta brad they use a knife with a yellow handle. These knives are kept separate. Small thing.. However, many other Kebab restaurants along the street have ratings of 3. I have seen how they will use the same knife to cut the Pitta bread as used to cut into the meat, or use tongs to move the meat about cooking on the grill, then use the same tongs to pick the salad out.  While the meats are cooking there is less risk, but a risk none the less - along with other things I suspect this explains the lower hygiene rating. It is why I don't eat in these restaurants.

While you say that like and MOT it means very little only being relevant at the time of inspection - I disagree.  With an MOT you know it is due, much like a boats BSS. indeed many people now have 'pre-MOT' inspections to get things sorted to ensure they pass however with the food hygiene ratings, the visits to establishments are unannounced.

Because of this, it means that an establishment that has gained a rating of 5 and retains this shows the standards in place are working and being adhered to - not that they had time to plan and sort things out - prior to being inspected keep their high rating and then after the event allow things to slip.

 

[Hylander]

Just had a look on the Waveney site and it is showing 4 for The Waveney Hotel.     

I have tried to edit but to no avail.    I just cannot make the screenshot any larger.

 

[JennyMorgan]

8 hours ago, Hylander said:

Just had a look on the Waveney site and it is showing 4 for The Waveney Hotel.     

I have tried to edit but to no avail.    I just cannot make the screenshot any larger.

 

Strange but good for them, shame that they don't display that information.

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/Waveney/Lowestoft/Relevance/0/303/^/1/1/10

[Poppy]

11 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Strange but good for them, shame that they don't display that information.

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/Waveney/Lowestoft/Relevance/0/303/^/1/1/10

How odd! When I 'click' on that link it shows the Waveny still having a rating of 1.

[JennyMorgan]

20 hours ago, Hylander said:

Just had a look on the Waveney site and it is showing 4 for The Waveney Hotel.     

I have tried to edit but to no avail.    I just cannot make the screenshot any larger.

 

Hylander, could you please provide a link to that screenshot? It is strange that two relevant sites are showing such wide variation. It would be good to be able to compare dates and details. 

[Poppy]

43 minutes ago, Poppy said:

How odd! When I 'click' on that link it shows the Waveny still having a rating of 1.

Oh, and it's dated 04/04/2016

[Poppy]

'That' paper this morning....

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/chinese_restaurant_in_yarmouth_was_infested_with_rats_and_stored_mouldy_food_1_4567477

[Bound2Please]

And thats from some one who has 5 stars rlse where................ so a fail or pass is much better isnt .... 

I rest my case

[marshman]

Its an age thing I know but your case is what? Not quite sure what you are resting? I am not sure that the EDP article adds a lot  - two different businesses, different staff etc etc

I am still not going to eat in 1* or 2* premises if I can avoid it but like you, thats my choice!

[johnb]

We ate in the Great Yarmouth Chinese Restaurant  in the article a few years ago when it had a different name. It was an "all you can eat" buffet. There was very little choice and the tables etc all felt sticky so we never returned. Obviously things didn't improve-or-horrible thought-maybe they did!

[JennyMorgan]

If nothing else the EDP article more than adequately highlights the need and importance of the rating system and the food hygiene regime. Adequate is just that, encouraging businesses to aim higher is no bad thing. Hotels have had star ratings for many years, why not food outlets? 

[Poppy]

Radio Norfolk carried an interview this morning with one of the Inspectors involved in the G.Y. case.  She explained the 'star' rating - 0 - 2 means that the trader is not achieving the legally required standards. a 3 is a 'satisfactory' level, but with room for improvement. She went on to explain that enforcement  was the last resort where there was no cooperation or apparent intention to comply. Prosecution is the ultimate sanction.

Still happy to support a business that is so poor that it can't meet the statutory minimum required ?  IMHO such an outfit has no place on the High Street or anywhere else.

[marshman]

But what some fail to realise, is I do not actually care at all if someone really wants to eat there - but do not expect me to!!!

[Bound2Please]

0 - 2 should be a fail closed until required standards are met 3 - 5 pass no need to show star ratings if its open it was all ok on date of visit, if closed needed work done.... Far easier than messing around with apps on phones... good for phone app makers mind....  Remember a 5 star rating today could be a 1 or 2 tomorrow or the day after.... The star rating is a how it was on a given date and time not how it necessarily is today..................

[wombat nee blownup]

A dear friend of mine who has run a restaurant just off the Yarmouth seafront very successfully for nearly 30 yrs has always been busy, booking essential, washed his tiled kitchen floor as normal, on this occasion just before the inspectors arrived so he flattened some cardboard boxes and laid them on the floor so they wouldn't slip and was condemned for it. He was   mortified and it went in the local paper. "shock horror". poor hygiene etc. etc. I don't read too much into the hygiene ratings and certainly don't bother about looking for them when in different towns cities etc.

[Poppy]

11 minutes ago, wombat nee blownup said:

 he flattened some cardboard boxes and laid them on the floor so they wouldn't slip and was condemned for it.

He wouldn't have got a 0 - 2 rating for that - unless there were other serious problems as well.

[wombat nee blownup]

Why have a 0 - 5 rating when 0 - 2 is serious? What happened to 1? Why is 0,1 and 2 all serious? How can people, determine the severity of any problem when the toytown grading system can also be misunderstood?

[Hylander]

I know it is a bit late in the day on this topic but this is the link to the result I found.

 

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/The Wherry Hotel/^/Relevance/0/303/^/1/1/10

[Poppy]

53 minutes ago, Hylander said:

I know it is a bit late in the day on this topic but this is the link to the result I found.

 

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/authority-search/en-GB/The Wherry Hotel/^/Relevance/0/303/^/1/1/10

Ah! That's 'The Wherry' , not 'The Waveny'.

[Hylander]

Put it down to too much sun () or just plain old age.    I was thinking The Wherry at Oulton Broad, so where is the Waveney Hotel other than the one in Beccles.

[Poppy]

13 hours ago, wombat nee blownup said:

Why have a 0 - 5 rating when 0 - 2 is serious? What happened to 1? Why is 0,1 and 2 all serious? How can people, determine the severity of any problem when the toytown grading system can also be misunderstood?

I despair sometimes. I really do !

[Hockham Admiral]

9 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Put it down to too much sun () or just plain old age.    I was thinking The Wherry at Oulton Broad, so where is the Waveney Hotel other than the one in Beccles.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4738996,1.7095662,301m/data=!3m1!1e3

Type in Pubs in top LHS!

[Bound2Please]

11 minutes ago, Poppy said:

I despair sometimes. I really do !

Hence pass or fail ............... fail means closed down until things are rectified simples

[Hylander]

It is no good I am going to have to ask -  Robin where did you find the rating for the Chippy at Potter Heigham please?

[Poppy]

23 minutes ago, Hylander said:

It is no good I am going to have to ask -  Robin where did you find the rating for the Chippy at Potter Heigham please?

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/731236/Potter-Fish-Bar-Potter-Heigham

That was 8th March this year.

All P.H. ratings here http://ratings.food.gov.uk/enhanced-search/en-GB/^/Potter Heigham/Relevance/0/^/^/1/1/10