Hundreds of establishments in Birmingham have been highlighted as below par when it comes to meeting hygiene regulations and guidelines in a new study by a local newspaper.
The Birmingham Mail has told how more than 600 restaurants, shops, takeaways and businesses in the UK's second largest city scored either zero or one star out of five in their most recent hygiene inspection. In total, 75 secured the bottom rating, while 539 picked up just one star.
Worryingly for local people, some of the city's most known and loved eateries are on the list of establishments that have failed to live up to the required standards. Council officials are now hoping to force through new rules that would demand businesses clean up their act soon after being found to be breaching the regulations.
Individuals who would like to find out exactly how many stars their favourite restaurant or food store secured in its last inspection can do so via the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) website.
Councillor Neil Eustace has suggested the FSA should now make it a rule that all the premises it examines should display their hygiene rating in a prominent position.
"The only premises you see displaying these stickers are ones that have been rated highly, it's obvious that those that have scores of zero or one will not want to put that on show for their customers to see. It's about time that it was made to be a compulsory requirement, customers have a right to know about the standards of cleanliness at the places they are eating or buying food from," he stated.
One of the most effective ways to combat hygiene problems is to invest in cleaning products and use them regularly in a bid to improve the state of a kitchen.
Among the businesses in Birmingham to record a score of zero in the FSA's scheme are Amazon Brazil Bar & Restaurant, Boots at the Bullring, Frydays and Nata Portuguese Pastelaria.
