More than 100 Shropshire food businesses, including chip shops, schools, cafes, butchers, residential homes, shops, pubs and hotels, are among the first in the country to be awarded the maximum rating under the new National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

The scheme aims to provide consumers with information about hygiene standards in businesses selling food and help them to decide where to buy or eat food.

The first Shropshire ratings under the new scheme for more than 330 premises inspected by Shropshire Council’s environmental health officers between June and August were officially unveiled today.

Shropshire Council’s environmental health officers started to assess local food providers in June, as part of their planned inspections of food premises.

Businesses have been awarded one of six ratings, from zero to five. Ratings are based on how hygienically food is prepared and stored, the condition and cleanliness of the premises, and how they manage and document food safety.

In total, 331 Shropshire food businesses were inspected.

Of the 106 premises receiving the top “five” rating, 34 were in the Shrewsbury area, 44 were in north Shropshire and Oswestry, and 28 were in south Shropshire and Bridgnorth.

Councillor Mike Owen, cabinet member responsible for environmental health, said: “I would particularly like to congratulate all of the food businesses that were the first to receive a top ‘five’ rating.

“The aim of this scheme is to acknowledge those businesses with high levels of food hygiene, but also to drive up standards by encouraging those who performed less well to improve ahead of their next inspection.

“Good food hygiene means a good hygiene rating, and a good rating should help our local food providers to attract and keep customers, which will therefore be good for business.”

Shropshire Council is one of the first councils to sign up to the new scheme, which has been rolled out across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with local councils.

Premises will be encouraged to display a certificate or sticker that shows their rating.

Shropshire food businesses gaining a top ‘five’ rating

North Shropshire and Oswestry

• Sweeney Hall Hotel, Oswestry
• Pant Pandas Childcare Centre
• Butchers Arms, Oswestry
• Co-Op Lateshopper, Oswestry
• Subway, Oswestry
• Baileys, Oswestry
• Wilkinsons, Oswestry
• Hartshorn Butchers Dc Jones, Oswestry
• Buffers, Oswestry
• Co-Op, Oswestry
• B J’s Oriental Food Supplies, Oswestry
• Courtyard Cafe, Oswestry
• Bargain Booze Ltd, Oswestry
• Cooltrader Ltd, Oswestry
• S Lawrence & Son Ltd, Oswestry
• Stan’s Superstore, St Martins
• Ifton Miners Institute, St Martins
• Shell Oswestry, Gledrid
• The Lion Quays, Weston Rhyn
• Ashgrove Residential Home, St Martins
• Tinsleys Fish And Chip Shop, Gobowen
• Dragon Boat Chinese, Gobowen
• The Old Vicarage Nursing Home, Gobowen
• Narrow Boat Inn, Welsh Frankton
• The Pedigree, Oswestry
• Meres Day Centre, Ellesmere
• Co-Operative Retail Services Ltd, Ellesmere
• Bradbury Bros (Butchers) Ltd, Whitchurch
• Juan Soler-Torres, Whitchurch
• Cafe at Prees Heath Motor Auctions, Prees Heath
• Harris Classic Limited, Tilstock
• Tudor Fish & Chip Shop, Market Drayton
• Market Drayton Country Markets
• Cheswardine Community Shop Group Ltd
• Cheswardine Hall Residential & Nursing Home, Chipnall
• Cheswardine School
• Hinstock Manor Residential Home Ltd
• New Inn, Baschurch
• Red Shield (RAF Shawbury)
• The Great Wall, Shawbury
• Adelphi Care Services Ltd, Wem
• Wem Town Hall
• Aston Lodge, Wem
• Sergeants Mess Royal Air Force, Shawbury

Shrewsbury

• Dulcie Blue Bakery
• The Wilfred Owen School
• Poppies Childcare
• The Village Chippy
• Crowmoor House
• Shropshire Wildlife Trust
• Nunu
• Opportunity Pre-School
• Kempsfield Hostel
• Anchor Inn
• Louise House Cafe
• Boots UK Limited, Meole Brace Retail Park
• Starbucks Coffee Company
• Sainsbury’s Petrol Station
• The Bothy Restaurant, Upper Battlefield
• Saracens, Hadnall
• Condover College
• The Bridge Inn
• Shabby Chic Cake Co, Dorrington
• The Country Habit Farm Shop, Westbury
• Bryn Melyn Care, Ford
• The Copper Kettle Tea Rooms, Leebotwood
• Rackhams, Shrewsbury
• Relish On Roushill
• Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Montgomery’s Tower
• Costa Coffee, Shrewsbury
• Cafe Express, Shrewsbury
• Lion Hotel
• Knights Table Cafe & Coffee, Battlefield
• Tesco Express, Shrewsbury
• Morrisons Cafe and staff canteen
• Tesco Extra

South Shropshire and Bridgnorth

• Richard C Swift Ltd, Craven Arms
• Castle Tea Rooms, Ludlow
• The Squirrel, Ludlow
• De Greys, Ludlow
• Cliffe Hotel, Ludlow
• Aldi, Ludlow
• Lowfield Inn
• The White Hart, Shifnal
• Granny’s Girl Chutneys, Broseley
• Broseley C E Primary School
• Hough & Sons, Church Stretton
• Co-Op Foodstore, Church Stretton
• Station Inn, Church Stretton
• Rushbury C E Primary School
• Mid Counties, Lodge Lane, Bridgnorth
• Dog Inn And Davenport Arms, Worfield
• White Lodge, Alveley
• Alveley C P School
• The Winding House Tea Room, Bridgnorth
• Tesco Express, Bridgnorth
• Coverage Care Services Ltd, Bridgnorth
• St. Johns RC Primary School, Bridgnorth
• Mike & Sarah’s Family Butchers, Bridgnorth
• Castlefields Primary School, Bridgnorth
• Brown Clee CE Primary School, Ditton Priors
• The Crusty Cob, Cleobury Mortimer
• Mawley Oak Garages Ltd, Cleobury Mortimer
• The Shop At The Cock, Stottesdon