Turning to the Food Standards Agency's food hygiene rating API for authoritative data on this vital subject, Direct365 focused on the 45 most populated cities and towns in England and Wales, analysing the information to determine which places have the highest percentage of one and two-star food outlets, and which locations have the highest percentage of four and five-star rated restaurants.
Top five cities for good food hygiene (% of 4*/5* rated establishments)
- Ipswich= 100%
- Southampton= 99%
- Crawley= 99%
- Swindon= 99%
- Nottingham= 98%
Top five cities for worst food hygiene (% of 1*/2* rated establishments):
- Birmingham= 11%
- Southend= 7%
- City of Westminster= 6%
- Dudley= 6%
- Islington= 6%
Karl Bantleman, head of digital at Direct365, said: “If you're fortunate enough to be in one of the highest-ranking towns for excellent food hygiene, be aware that standards are much higher than average. You can't be competitive without your own four or five star rating. There are a few simple things food establishments can do to improve their rating, including storing food properly, good record keeping, using the right cleaning products, and managing waste properly.”