“Score on the doors” – Belfast Restaurants

by Anna Carling

Last week Belfast’s food outlets fell under the axe of the hygiene inspectors’ ‘scores on the doors’ and much to their dismay many of them were found to be lacking. These scores are a reflection of many things regarding food hygiene but also take into account various other factors that are not directly linked to food hygiene. For example did you know that the surrounding area of the venue can affect it’s rating? Or that paperwork and record keeping can be what’s found to be lacking?

In fact when perusing the scores you have to get to page 84/180 (each listing 15 establishments) before you leave the amount of restaurants in Belfast who gained a five star rating. Also those restaurants who did not fair so well may not be hovels you’d first imagine. I spoke to a South Belfast Noodle bar, whose premises I frequent and know first hand to be of a very high standard, yet they had only gained a two star rating. They lamented that the score was given to them over a year ago when they had first opened (and not got fully organized, which was the reason for their low score, not a lack of hygiene) and despite having rang the council on several occasions for a re-inspection no one had come out.

Ewing’s, one of the most famous fishmongers in Belfast who have been open since the Titanic was a glint in Thomas Andrew’s eye also only gained two stars. Again this is somewhere I know to be of premier quality.

Also I noticed amongst the two star scores was the shop ‘American Candy’ and I really wonder how they can have breached hygiene by any large amount when all the things they sell are pre-packaged with a long shelf life. I have never heard of cross-contamination occurring between mars bars and milk duds, but who knows?

Now I’m not saying that these scores are completely unfounded but I would not recommend anyone take them as Gospel. If there is a venue you know and trust but did not make the five star rating, remember that does not necessarily mean they’re unhygienic. And if you really don’t want to eat anywhere that did not get five stars – well you have one thousand, two hundred and forty seven food venders to choose from! http://www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/

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