By Andrew Starke
Several high-profile Merivale venues are running a voluntary City of Sydney ‘Scores on Doors’ program which aims to grade the food safety and hygiene standards of inner city eateries and display them on shop windows.
Forty eight inner city cafes, restaurants and pubs – including the Establishment, CBD Hotel, Beresford Hotel and the Slip Inn – across the inner city have so far committed to be part of the trial with 26 scoring A for excellent, four B for good and three C for acceptable.
Only one premise is currently rated P for pending and ratings are yet to be awarded to 14 premises currently awaiting inspection, including the Merivale properties.
“City workers, visitors and tourists demand a very high level of food safety at the places where we eat everyday,” said director of city operations, Garry Harding.
"Brightly coloured scorecards displayed at entrances give customers more information about the place they are visiting while providing an opportunity to highlight the excellent standards of many Sydney cafes and restaurants.”
“I'd like to commend each and every business taking part in this trial,” continued Harding. “They are trail-blazers committed to improving standards. I hope more restaurants and cafes will join them.”
Scoring an A means a premises has been rated 97/100 or better and with tough conditions applied, a single minor breach could cost between four and eight points.
There are around 3,000 cafes and restaurants throughout the City of Sydney local government area which receive regular, unscheduled inspections by City Health Inspectors.
Twenty councils are taking part in the trial which was announced by the NSW Food Authority earlier this year.
Premises with unacceptable food safety standards may also be named and shamed on the NSW Food Authority's register if penalty infringement notices also need to be issued.
For more information and a list of businesses participating, including their scores, click here.