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Eat Safe Scheme Reaches 150 Mark in Scotland
Thursday 29 June 2006
A well-known Glasgow restaurant has become the 150th establishment in Scotland to receive a prestigious food hygiene award.
A well-known Glasgow restaurant has become the 150th establishment in Scotland to receive a prestigious food hygiene award.
Urban Grill, on the city's Kilmarnock Road, recently became the 35th business in the Glasgow City Council area to receive an Eat Safe Award for excellence in food hygiene and food safety management.
The scheme was launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland in June 2003 and was rolled out across Scotland last year. It aims to improve public confidence and consumer choice in catering establishments across the country.
To date, 17 local authorities, the length and breadth of the country, have presented Eat Safe Awards to establishments within their areas, while other councils are working towards their first presentations to local businesses.
Peter Midgley, Head of the FSA's Local Authority Food Enforcement Branch, said he had been delighted with the response to the scheme in Scotland so far, and particularly in recent weeks.
He said: "We reached the 100 award milestone back in April - just 14 months after the launch of the scheme in Scotland - which was extremely encouraging, but to present the next 50 awards in just the past six weeks has been a fantastic effort from everyone concerned.
"There is a growing enthusiasm across the country for the Eat Safe Award - from catering businesses, their customers and local authorities - and as the number of Eat Safe recipients across Scotland continues to grow, so too does awareness of the scheme, both within the catering industry and also among the general public."
Thirty one of Scotland's 32 Local Authorities have given their backing to the scheme, which was launched following discussions between the FSAS, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health of Scotland, the Scottish Food Advisory Committee (SFAC), Scottish Local Authorities and the FSA in Northern Ireland.
Eligible establishments are assessed for the Eat Safe Award as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections carried out by Environmental Health Services. The issue and control of certificates is through local authorities and Awards are reviewed at every planned food hygiene inspection.
