Scores on the doors: Three Brighton venues told to make 'major improvements'

Sea of Spice in Preston Street, Brighton, Raffaello in Bartholomew Square and Roasthost in Dyke Road have been given a food hygiene rating of one by food safety officers.

They are among dozens of restaurants, takeaways and pubs in the city to have had their new inspection results listed on the Food Standards Agency’s website.

What do the numbers mean?

• Zero – Urgent improvement necessary. There is currently one outlet with this rating.

• One – Major improvements necessary. There are currently 34 outlets with this rating.

• Two – Improvements necessary. There are currently 20 outlets with this rating.

• Three – Generally Satisfactory. There are currently 90 outlets with this rating.

• Four – Good on assessment. There are currently 302 outlets with this rating.

• Five – Seen as very good. There are currently 1,271 outlets with this rating.

The following outlets received a rating of five:

• Carlito Burrito at 12 York Place, Brighton; rated on April 27

• 64 Degrees at 53 Meeting House Lane, Brighton; rated on April 25

• As You Like It at 15 North Street, Brighton; rated on April 23

• Piecaramba At Fiddlers Elbow at The Fiddlers Elbow, 11 - 12 Boyces Street, Brighton; rated on April 23

The following outlets received a rating of one:

• Raffaello at 10 Bartholomew Square, Brighton; rated on March 28

• Roasthost at 84a Dyke Road, Brighton; rated on March 25

• Sea Of Spice at Nile House, 17 Preston Street, Brighton

Rafello, Roasthost and Sea of Spice have all been told to make major improvements to their food safety management.

The Food Standards Agency says this includes the systems and checks in place to ensure that food is safe to eat, and that staff know about food safety.

Food safety officers found that Rafello to be “generally satisfactory” in its hygienic food handling and the cleanliness and condition of the building.

Roasthost has been told to make “major improvements” to its hygienic food handling and to the condition of the building.

Sea of Spice was deemed to be “good” in these areas.

Businesses which are given low ratings of zero or one must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards.

The local authority food safety officer has several enforcement options available as well as giving advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.

The food safety officer will also tell the business how quickly these improvements must be made and this will depend on the type of issue that needs to be addressed.

If the officer finds that a business’s hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to public health, when food may be unsafe to eat, the officer must act to ensure consumers are protected.

This could result in stopping part of the business or closing it down completely until it is safe to recommence.