A TOTAL of seven restaurants, pubs and cafes in the Cotswolds have received a five star food hygiene rating in the last two months.

The eateries in the district have proved to a Cotswold District Council (CDC) inspector that they handle food hygienically, keep food safe and have a clean and well structured building.

They have also shown that they can maintain these standards into the future.

Seven establishments in the Cotswolds, including pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and mobile caterers, received a five star rating this autumn.

Chrissy, who cooks up lunch at the Marlborough Arms in Cirencester was awarded five stars on October 23 this year, while the Garden Terrace Cafe at Batsford Arboretum in Moreton was also awarded five stars on October 7.

The cafe at Lechlade Garden Centre also received top marks on October 21.

The Rose Tree restaurant in Bourton-on-the-Water was given five stars even more recently, on November 14, and the George Catering at the George Inn at Kempsford was also proud to receive the highest rating on November 4. Orange Bowl, a mobile caterer in Barnsley, received five stars on October 7.

Cotswold District Council has urged everyone to check the hygiene rating of the restaurants they visit this year, especially when making a booking as important as Christmas dinner.

In the Cotswolds around 92 per cent of food businesses are rated with three stars or higher. A zero is the lowest rating a business can get.

Cabinet member for health at CDC, Councillor Carole Topple, said Christmas is a time to enjoy good company and meals without having to worry about food poisoning.

“The problem is that it’s hard to tell whether a restaurant’s hygiene standards are up to scratch even if the staff may look presentable and the place is busy,” she said. “It’s the things customers can’t see, like germs spread by bad hygiene practices, that need to be considered.”

Visit food.gov.uk/ratings to check a business’s food hygiene rating.