Food hygiene ratings for Eastbourne takeaways above UK average

The average percentage of applicable businesses rated either good (4) or very good (5), for the 355 UK council districts included in the study, was 71.9 per cent; and the average for Eastbourne was much higher at 82.2 per cent.

The Food Standards Agency website holds the data from inspections carried out by each local authority under the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme. Every business that serves food is awarded with a hygiene rating between 0 and 5 following an inspection.

Of the 73 takeaways and sandwich shops in Eastbourne, 60.3 per cent had the top rating of 5, which was also well above the national average of 49.4 per cent. Furthermore, there were no premises rated 0 at their last inspection.

Food establishments in Wales and Northern Ireland are required to clearly display the rating that they receive under the Scheme, with England to follow suit from 2019.

Linda Firth, Director at LoveMyVouchers.co.uk, said, “The study was conducted to raise awareness about the importance of food hygiene ratings, as they are not always obvious for takeaways, particularly in England. Many of the top food ordering websites do not currently display the ratings, so customers need to be mindful of this when placing an order.”

The best performing council area was North Devon, with a staggering 100 per cent rated 4 or 5.

Study details can be found at https://www.lovemyvouchers.co.uk/lifestyle/takeaway-food-hygiene-study/