THE number of food premises in East Lancashire still in need of ‘urgent’ or ‘major’ hygiene improvements has almost halved in three months.

This follows a major drive by councils to improve the ‘scores on the doors’ ratings.

Now Labour health spokeswoman Julie Cooper is to urge the government to force all food outlets to display their hygiene ratings prominently on or near their entrances to further drive up standards.

The Burnley MP is to question ministers on the issue in Parliament after it emerged that 39 premises are still in the bottom two ratings signifying they need ‘urgent’ or ‘major’ hygiene improvements.

A Lancashire Telegraph survey of the latest hygiene ratings on council websites revealed the number in the bottom two categories of zero and one has almost halved in three months.

But there are still 40 establishments with the lowest ratings which Mrs Cooper thinks is too many.

She has been backed by council bosses.

When the Lancashire Telegraph conducted an in-depth survey of food hygiene scores in February it found 73 outlets scoring zero or one out of five ratings, with five being the best.

This was a sharp increase on 41 in September last year but still an improvement on 117 in August 2015.

Zero means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ and one ‘major improvement necessary’.

Owners do not have to display their score meaning those with the worst ratings can often escape negative publicity.

The latest figures follow major campaigns to raise standards in Hyndburn and Burnley and a continued pressure in Blackburn with Darwen

Across six boroughs (also including Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale) hundreds of food outlets were inspected.

Five got a zero rating - The Azad Takeaway in Accrington, 5in 1 in Longridge, China Express in Nelson, Eddie’s Chicken in Oswaldtwistle and Miami Chicken and Pizza in Accrington.

A spokesman for 5 In 1 said: “We’re waiting for them to come back and do a new rating. We’ve improved. We expect at least a 4 or a 5 now.”

None of the other four premises were immediately contactable.

Mrs Cooper said: “The improvement is very good but more still needs to be done.

“The best solution is to make it mandatory for all food outlets to display their hygiene score on or near the doors so customers can see what it is before they go in and buy.

“That would force standards up.

“I shall raise this in Parliamentary Questions with ministers.”

Cllr Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen Council environment boss, said: “We constantly encourage improvement and work with those outlets with a low rating.

“The answer is forcing them to put the rating clearly on the door or window nearby so people know what the rating is and can make up their own mind. Then owners would have to do something.”

Hyndburn Council’s cabinet member for food safety Cllr Paul Cox said: “I strongly support mandatory display of ‘scores on the doors’ on or near the entrance so customers know what the hygiene rating is.

“We’ve added additional resources to drive up compliance.

“Whilst we’re happy to see a big improvement, we will carry on the hard work to drive up compliance.”

Burnley Council leader Mark Townsend said: “Raising food hygiene standards across the broad is a priority for the council.

“Food establishments should be forced by law to display their score on or near their doors so customers know what it is before buying or not.”

Blackburn which had 30 outlets rated one in February still has 11 one ratings.

Hyndburn which had 27 ratings of one or zero, now has 14 rated one with three zeroes.

Burnley now has just three ratings of one compared to February’s six ones and a zero rating.

Pendle has three outlets rated one and a single zero.

Ribble Valley now as one each in category and Rossendale has just one outlet rated one.

Julie Whittaker, Pendle Council’s environmental health manager, said: “We’ve concentrated our efforts on food hygiene inspections."

Heather Barton, Ribble Valley head of environmental health, said: “The borough has some of the best food outlets in the country.”

Audley Chippy was originally wrongly listed as having a 1 rating but in fact has a 3 rating. 

FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS RATED ZERO OR ONE STARS

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN:

Zero rating: None

One rating:

La Glacier (Whalley Range)

Sam’s Bar (Church Street)

Biscuit Barrel Café (Darwen)

Domowe Obiadki “U Beatki” (Blackburn)

To Be Vegetarian (Guide)

Manchester Sweet Centre (Whalley Range)

Maroosh (Darwen Street)

Miami (Darwen Street)

Munch Box (Whalley Range)

Rice Bowl (Redlam)

Sultan Sweet Centre (Whalley Range)

BURNLEY:

Zero Rating: None

One Rating:

Ethiopian Kitchen (Market Hall, Curzon Street)

Hargreaves Bakery (Lowerhouse Lane)

Yeung Xing (Brownhills Avenue)

HYNDBURN:

Zero Ratings:

Eddy’s Chicken (Oswaldtwistle)

Miami Chicken & Pizza (Accrington)

Azad Takeaway (Accrington)

One rating:

The Park (Gt Harwood)

Aroma (Accrington)

Café Brillante (Accrington)

Clarkey’s Café (Accrington)

Mary’s Corner Café (Gt Harwood)

Whittakers Arms (Accrington)

Yankees Burgers (Accrington)

Kebab House (Accrington)

Milton Chippy (Clayton-le-Moors)

Munchies (Accrington)

Omar’s takeaway (Accrington)

Park Chippy (Accrington)

Pizza and Kebab Land (Gt Harwood)

Queen Spicy Chef (Gt Harwood)

York Street Chippy (Accrington)

PENDLE:

Zero rating: China Express (Nelson)

One rating:

B. B. Q. 2NIGHT (Nelson)

Asha Indian takeaway (Nelson)

Happy Garden (Nelson)

RIBBLE VALLEY:

Zero rating: 5 in 1 (Longridge)

One rating - The Paragon Bar and Restaurant (Longridge)

ROSSENDALE:

Zero rating: None

One rating:

Zorba Balti (Rawtenstall)