Health & safety in pubs: Top Tips
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) system means consumers can find out the state of cleanliness in a pub or restaurant at the click of a button.
On a roll
Despite being a fairly new initiative, the scheme has successfully rolled out across England, Northern Ireland and Wales since 2010, and is still gaining momentum.
Around 275 local authorities in the participating countries now have schemes in action, representing 75% of all councils in those places. More are preparing to launch the scheme and the FSA expects the figure to reach 94% by the time the Olympics in London comes around.
The great rate of uptake means that consumers can discover the score of almost 250,000 food outlets online, from zero (urgent improvement necessary) to five (excellent).
The Mystery Dining Company (TMDC) director Sally Whelan says: “Consumers are evaluating how and where they are spending their money. Pubs need to be aware that punters are also researching to see how venues compare to other pubs and restaurants in the same area.
“If potential customers are trying to find out more about your pub, the first thing is to understand what they will be likely to find, and then ask whether it will be enough to encourage them through your door rather than someone else’s.”
A venue ranking low on the FHRS will always lose custom to a more hygienic outlet in the same area, so it is vital that pubs up their game.
No cutting corners
The costs of improving hygiene, along with virtually everything else, are rising. However, operators can’t afford to make cuts in that department. Working with a buying specialist can help individual pubs and small groups secure better prices.
The Midlands-based Peach Pub Company works with Lynx Purchasing, and Peach managing director Hamish Stoddart estimates that it enables the company to make a saving of between 3% and 5%.
John Pinder, managing director of Lynx, says: “As well as ensuring that robust kitchen hygiene procedures are in place, it’s vital to focus on public areas. It’s well known that some customers check the cleanliness of the toilets before deciding whether they’ll eat at a pub or restaurant.
“Lost custom is worrying enough, but the cost of failing a hygiene inspection, or having to comply with an order from the environmental health department, can run into tens of thousands of pounds — and negative publicity or a poor reputation can finish a business.”
As food sales have become more important to pubs, customers have come to expect slicker conditions. As TMDC’s Whelan points out, pubs are now in competition with restaurants in many ways. It is essential to maintain high hygiene standards and comply with all the relevant legislation to reassure customers and keep them coming back.
Other than losing custom, the biggest danger of poor cleanliness is the spread of bacteria. Food bugs such as Salmonella, E.coli and campylobacter thrive in the warmth of summer, so it is vital to cook meat, fish and poultry to the optimum temperature to kill them.
Temperature can be accurately and quickly measured using ETI’s Thermapen. For full guidance on preventing outbreaks visit www.food.gov.uk.
Pest control is another issue as they are attracted to refuse. Managing rubbish is a legal obligation and publicans should be wary of damage caused to property by pests as a hidden cost in addition to possible fines and court proceedings.
Health and safety
There has been a 4.7% drop in accidents in pubs in the past year thanks to improved health and safety procedures. Accidents caused by slips and trips were down 14%, but the number of accidents involving equipment rose, according to research by health and safety consultants Perry Scott Nash of more than 1,400 pubs. The company warns that there is no room for complacency.
“Hiring a company to manage health and safety risk assessments can bring peace of mind, but the responsibility still rests with the manager or owner,” says executive chairman Pat Perry. “Managers need to have a broad idea of health and safety laws and requirements.”
Sian Walking, marketing manager floorcare for Initial Hygiene, says: “Slips and trips should be at the front of every pub owner’s mind, given the potential for compensation claims from customers or employees. Weather-related slips are one of the biggest causes of accidents in bars.
“Although public liability insurance covers most accidents, mats are a simple way of helping to minimise the risks associated with bad weather and reduce moisture coming into a bar. The front entrance is obvious, but rear entrances and the area by the bar should also be considered.”
FHRS rating criteria
Inspectors will rate how food is handled from preparation, cooking and reheating to cooling and storage. They will also look at the condition of the building, cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and how the business manages and records what is done to make sure food is safe.
The Burnt Gate Inn, Anslow, Staffordshire
Chef Zara Jackson knows all about hygiene, having won the Young Chef Hygiene Award at the 2011 Taste of Staffordshire Master Chef and Young Chef of Tomorrow competition.
Six chefs competed for the title and were judged on the levels of hygiene as part of the cook-off — a measure brought in to raise awareness of the importance of safe food practices.
“I made sure that my work bench was kept clean, tidy and sanitised, and washed my hands frequently, especially when handling meat and fish, which was obviously noticed by the judges,” says Jackson.
“I know that it is essential to have high standards of hygiene when working with food to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, which can lead to food poisoning.
“We use diluted de-greaser for cleaning and Milton for sanitising during a strict daily routine. This begins with ensuring all kitchen surfaces are cleaned before use, and all surfaces, including floors, are cleaned at the end of service.
“There is then a schedule that all members of kitchen staff participate in and sign off when jobs are done. The trophy I won is on display at the pub, and a number of customers have already asked about it.”
The Burnt Gate uses a competence sheet that all staff are taken through during training. The pub currently holds four stars in the FHRS.
The Blue Bowl Inn, Chew Valley, Bristol
This Enterprise Inns lease has held five stars on the FHRS from Bath and North East Somerset local authority for 18 months and head chef Mark Riches believes it is important for customers.
“It is hard to quantify whether it brings extra trade, but I do think it makes a difference to customers,” he says. “We think it’s really important to keep ongoing training and monitoring of staff food safety practices.
“Our score is on our website and it links directly to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. I’ve noticed that local authorities have made the scheme much more well known over the past few years, although there will still be a lot of consumers who are confused by its emphasis on food safety rather than food quality.
“It’s a testament to the staff’s hard work and knowledge that we can offer a great standard of both. I think it is important that the scheme is adopted nationwide. A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen and a happy kitchen produces good, safe food.”
A bonus of the inspection is that venues are given a checklist of recommendations of aspects that could be improved, from a small crack in the floor to ideas on better management. Riches is careful to complete every suggestion to keep on top of any issues that could become bigger problems. Venues also receive a Safer Food Better Business diary to aid daily checks, which Riches finds useful.
He also checks the FSA website and Twitter feed to stay abreast of standards and knowledge.
Top tips
- Don’t use cheap cleaning products — it’s a false economy
- Don’t cut corners in service — it risks cleanliness standards
- Plan events early — take time over the correct measures
- Do regular checks front-of-house — it is where customers will get their first impression
- Staff training and re-training is critical
- Monitor cleaning stock supplies carefully
- Continually clean surfaces
Source: P&G Professional
