

Flowers, chocolates and a meal out are among the favourite gifts given on Valentine’s Day.
If a romantic meal is top of your list of treats for a loved one it might be worth checking out the hygiene credentials of your favourite eatery before making that booking.
Epping Forest is part of a nationwide initiative to help you choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving clear information about the hygiene standards of local food businesses. The scheme is a partnership of local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Business rating
Businesses are given a rating from 5 to 0, displayed at their premises and online so you can make more informed choices about where to buy and eat food.
- 5 – hygiene standards are very good
- 4 – hygiene standards are good
- 3 – hygiene standards are generally satisfactory
- 2 – some improvement is necessary
- 1 – major improvement is necessary
- 0 – urgent improvement is required
A programme of inspections is carried out every year by our Environmental Health Officers. The frequency of these inspections depends on the potential risk to public health, and take account of:
- type of food handled
- the number and type of customers, for example vulnerable groups
- processes carried out before the food is sold or served
- hygiene standards seen on the day of the last inspection
To find out the ratings of your favourite eateries visit http://ratings.food.gov.uk/