TRAFFORD businesses have slammed a food hygiene rating system, which they say has damaged their business.

Since the ‘scores on the doors’ system, run by the Food Standards Agency in conjunction with Trafford Council, was launched in July, Messenger has received several complaints from businesses.

The system gives food establishments a rating of 0-5 based on their last inspection, which is displayed on the FSA’s website.

Trafford Council included all establishments which had been inspected in the past 18 months.

But businesses say it is unfair and claim some businesses which received low ratings requested their score was not put on the website.

Now, Messenger can reveal that half of the 10 food establishments with a zero rating for hygiene, have been reassessed and given a higher rating.

Both the Blue Raj in Urmston and the Indian Curry Cottage in Sale were given a zero rating but this has now been increased to three and four respectively.

Shalem Miah, manager of the Indian Curry Cottage on Washway Road, said: “We have been here over 30 years and never had any sort of problems so we were devastated when we got a zero, it was really shameful.

“We couldn’t understand why we had got a zero.

“We were in shock and our customers were in shock. When they see a zero, they think the restaurant is filthy.

“Now we have been given a four.”

Shajed Miah, manager of the Blue Raj on Flixton Road, said the business had changed owners to fast-track a re-assessment, but this meant their score was capped at three until their next inspection.

He said his business had been badly affected.

“The business has really been struggling. Before the rating it was doing ok, it was surviving. But the ratings were the icing on the cake,” he said.

Trafford Council confirmed that if businesses request a rescore visit they will receive this within three months, provided action has been taken since the last inspection – but for new businesses or changes in ownership, it will be within 28 days.

It said any food business, including a new business or one that changes ownership, could be given the highest rating of five if hygiene standards are found to be very good.

The council also confirmed that since the introduction of the scheme, 26 businesses have submitted written requests for rescore. Of those, 19 have been visited and 16 have seen their rating improve. Three have stayed the same.

As spokesman said: “As no right to appeal was in place for businesses during the launch phase of the scheme, they were advised that if they were unhappy with their rating they could request a rescore visit or ask not to be included as part of the launch.

“Those businesses that request ed not be included were advised that their food hygiene rating would be included following their next food hygiene inspection.“ Approximately 700 Trafford businesses were included as part of the launch, and around 300 further businesses will be included by October.

Executive member for environmental services, Cllr John Reilly, said: “It is vital people are able to make more informed choices about where they eat out or shop for food. “For the first time there is a national scheme which is providing easily accessible, consistent information on the standards of hygiene found in food establishments, which is a significant step forward. “It is encouraging that businesses are improving their food hygiene standards as a result of the scheme, as shown by the results of our rescore visits.”

A spokesperson for the FSA said: "We don’t consider criticism from low-rated food business to be an indication that the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme isn’t working.

"In fact, that is the very purpose of the scheme – to bring hygiene standards into the open so that those businesses that aren’t up to scratch can no longer hide behind the kitchen doors."

To view Trafford’s ratings visit ratings.food.gov.uk