A Shrewsbury butcher based within the town’s Market Hall has been awarded the top rating by food hygiene inspectors.
WD Butchers received five-stars, the highest level possible, following a food hygiene inspection by Shropshire Council.
The food hygiene rating scheme is a national initiative designed to help customers make informed choices about where they buy and eat food.
Shropshire Council rolled out the scheme, which provides customers with at-a-glance information about hygiene standards in food businesses, in June 2010.
Restaurants, takeaways, cafes, sandwich shops, pubs, hotels, supermarkets and other retail food outlets, as well as any other business where consumers can eat or buy food, are all rated.
Inspectors look at a number of areas including how hygienically food is handled, safe food preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage as well as the condition of the structure of the premises, cleanliness, repair, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities and how food safety is managed and documented.
Ratings range from zero, which means ‘urgent improvement is necessary,’ to five stars which is ‘very good’.
Inspection officers visiting WD Butchers were particularly impressed with the business’s traceability book which records where all produce comes from.
Mr Dodd, who runs the business, said: “We were delighted to receive five stars for our food hygiene. We pride ourselves on our high standards and are particularly proud of our traceability book which is filled in everyday and shows customers exactly where their meat has come from. The award is a fantastic boost, not only for ourselves, but for the market as a whole as it positions us as up there for quality.”
He added: “As far as I know there is only one other butchers in Shrewsbury that holds five stars.”
For more information on the Market Hall log on to www.markethallshrewsbury.co.uk
To contact WD Butchers directly call 07976 224040.
For further information contact Suzi Wilkinson, Marketing & Promotions Officer on: 01743 257654 or email suzi.wilkinson-stc@shropshire.gov.uk