Food hygiene rating scheme

Guildford borough uses the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme to rate the hygiene standards of the places where you eat or shop for food. The scheme is run in partnership with the Food Standards Agency. 

You can search for a Guildford borough food outlet by name, street and postcode and find out how it has been rated. A rating of 0 is the worst and 5 is the best.

The rating given for an outlet does not reflect the quality of food or the standard of customer service.

 Search for a food hygiene rating (opens new window)

The scheme recognises food outlets with the highest standards and helps improve hygiene standards.

A rating of 0 (the worst) to 5 (the best) are given by Environmental Health Officers following an inspection of a food business and are based on:

• how hygienically the food is handled
• the condition of the premises
• how food safety is managed

Further information and guidance (opens new window)

Managing documents to make sure your food is safe

It is a legal requirement for most food businesses to provide documentary evidence that the food they produce is safe.  This should:

• identify and show an understanding of the food safety hazards
• provide evidence that measures have been taken to control these hazards 
• provide evidence that all food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene so that they produce food that is safe to eat

The Food Standards Agency has produced systems to help create a documented food safety management system:

• Safer food better business (opens new window)
• Safe Catering (opens new window)

Improving your rating

All businesses should be able to get the top rating.

To help get this you should:

• look at your last food hygiene inspection report to check that you've taken all of the actions needed 
• at your next inspection, if you don't get the top rating and you have queries about the improvements you need to make to get a better rating, then the food safety officer will be able to give you advice

You can appeal if you think your hygiene rating does not reflect the hygiene standards found at the time of your inspection.

• you must lodge your appeal within 21 days of being told what your hygiene rating is 
• you will need to make your appeal in writing.  You can do this by completing this form  appeal form (Word doc) [147KB] (opens new window)  

You can request another inspection if:

• you were awarded a rating between 0 to 4
• you have improved food hygiene standards since your last inspection
• you can give evidence of improvements made

We charge a non-refundable fee of £344 (VAT exempt) for this service.

You can make an application by filling out this  food hygiene rating revisit application form (Word doc) [81KB] (opens new window) . After we receive the fee and completed form, we will make a new inspection within three months.

Our food safety officer will not announce when the new inspection will happen. They will give you a new rating. While your rating may improve, it could stay the same or go down.