Raft of St Helens venues given new food hygiene ratings

Twelve of them were awarded the top five out of five rating by the Food Standards Agency, while another was given four.

The FSA is responsible for ensuring that establishments are up to scratch in terms of food hygiene regulations, and that they are safe to frequent.

Establishments are graded against the following criteria:

• Hygienic food handling - Hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.
• Management of food safety - System or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.
• Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building - Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building (including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control) to enable good food hygiene.

Ranging from zero to five, food hygiene ratings are given to food handling businesses after an inspection has assessed how well they comply with food safety laws.

The rating reflects the standards of food hygiene found on the date of the inspection.

Here is how the scores are graded.

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

If businesses are awarded a score lower than five, the local authority officer will explain what action they can take to improve.

Those inspected recently include restaurants, cafes, canteens, pubs, chippies and takeaways.

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The following all received five-star ratings:

• Rated 5: Rainhill Hall at Warrington Road, Rainhill, Prescot; rated on February 20

• Rated 5: North West Museum of Road Transport at North West Museum Of Road Transport, 51 Hall Street, St Helens; rated on February 12

• Rated 5: McDonald's at Mcdonalds Restaurants Ltd, 100 St Helens Linkway, St Helens; rated on February 8

• Rated 5: Parr Children's Centre at Ashtons Green Drive, St Helens; rated on January 29

• Rated 5: Eretno LTD at The Rocket, 474 Warrington Road, Rainhill; rated on February 27

• Rated 5: The Glass House at 5 Market Street, St Helens; rated on February 27

• Rated 5: Lymewood Farm Pub Restaurant at Lymewood Farm, 2 Galway Crescent, Haydock; rated on February 13

The Lymewood was rated five (Image: Google Street View)

• Rated 5: Newton Le Willows Sports Club at Newton Le Willows Sports And Social Club, Crow Lane East, Newton Le Willows; rated on February 13

• Rated 5: Earlestown Athletic Junior FC at Former St Aelreds Playing Field, Harrison Way, Newton Le Willows; rated on February 9

• Rated 5: Marg's Chip Shop at Margs Chippy, 87 Balfour Street, St Helens; rated on February 7

Marg's Chippy received full marks (Image: Stock)

• Rated 5: Miami Pizza at 5 Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath; rated on January 29

• Rated 5: Grange Park Chippy at 57 Grange Park Road, Thatto Heath; rated on January 22

Meanwhile rated 4 was Happy Season at 87 Upland Road, St Helens; rated on January 22.