Dozens of takeaways, restaurants and pubs across South Staffordshire have been rated by council inspectors after surprise visits to assess their hygiene standards.

A total of 34 food outlets have been given “no star” ratings on the district council’s new Rate My Place website. The results have been revealed following investigations by environmental health officers. The council launched the website to give diners the chance the check on the district’s food places at the click of a button before they order a takeaway or book a table.

There are currently 231 businesses listed on the site, with each one given a food safety rating from no stars up to five stars. 

Scores are calculated by looking at how hygienic the premises are, whether they take into account recognised food hygiene practices and how much confidence the inspector has in the management to keep the premises up to standard.

Following an inspection scores are published on the website and there is a section for businesses to respond and let customers know what they have done to improve standards.

But some businesses have hit back at the marking system.

Chris Dixon, who runs the Harrows pub in Coven, which has been awarded no stars, said: “Although I think it is a really good scheme it can be quite unfair too.

“I was new to the industry and an environmental health officer came around and told me what needed improving and it has all been done.

“He has come around since and said I am looking at a four or five star rating now but we have to wait for the next unannounced visit before it can be changed.

“It is worrying because I think when people read you have no stars for hygiene there are visions of cockroaches and things like that but it is nothing like that. 

“I was told to replace two broken tiles and I went on a course so I knew exactly how to record everything in the books. It slightly makes a mockery of it that I could potentially go from no stars to five within such a short space of time.”

The ratings website, which can be found at www.ratemyplace.org.uk, was launched following a similar initiative in Wolverhampton and also includes restaurants in Stafford.