Welcome to the worst place for food hygiene in London
Consumers “might as well toss a coin” to decide where to eat say researchers, as a new report reveals almost half of schools, hospitals and restaurants could cause poisoning due to poor hygiene.
Above: Symeon Brown reports on the worst areas in the country to get a kebab – as well as visiting a restaurant that gets it right.
The report by consumer campaign group Which? found that in Enfield, London, only 54 per cent of food businesses were compliant with food hygiene standards. Almost half a million people suffer food poisoning each year.
Along with Enfield, the city of Edinburgh was one of the worst performing local authorities with just 68 per cent of venues including restaurants, schools, hospitals, universities compliant with hygiene rules.
In some of the worst performing local authorities, you might as well toss a coin before deciding which restaurant to trust with your health.Which? report
Rochdale in Greater Manchester and Brent in London managed to achieve fewer than 20 per cent of their planned follow ups when poor hygiene had been detected or when businesses were due for inspections.
Best performing
The best performing local authorities in the UK were Cherwell in north Oxfordshire and Brentwood in Essex.
Both of these local authorities ensured nearly 100 per cent of their food businesses were compliant with hygiene rules.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: “Consumers expect local authorities to check that food businesses in their area comply with hygiene standards and rigorously enforce the rules.
“Local authorities should do more to make the best use of limited resources, respond effectively to risks across the food supply chain and ensure consumers are adequately protected wherever they live.”