SIXTEEN businesses in the town have received a zero star for food hygiene so far this year.

Restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets are just some of the businesses that have fallen below the required standards for any food businesses under the Food Safety Act.

Zero star ratings indicate unacceptable hygiene conditions and almost total non-compliance with statutory obligations.

However, 46 food businesses achieved a high five-star rating and many more have improved.

Businesses are awarded stars under the Swindon Council Scores On Doors scheme.

Since January the council has carried out 252 food hygiene inspections, and all the results are published online at www.swindon.gov.uk/scores ondoors.

Coun Brian Mattock, the Cabinet member for housing, community and partnerships, said: “The Scores On Doors system is a reflection of hygiene standards and not about the quality or taste of the food.

“The criteria is based on a number of factors, including cleaning standards, structural condition, control of cross contamination, temperature control and cooking practices, training, and the understanding of food hazards.

“Most food businesses in the borough do comply with the law, but there are some that let standards slip behind the scenes and this is the fairest system to ensure customers have full confidence in the places they eat, or buy food.

“Since the scheme was put in place we’ve seen a positive upward trend as more food businesses than ever before received three and four stars, which is good news for consumers.”

Under the scheme, a score of one star is deemed poor, two satisfactory, three good, four very good, and five excellent.

Following inspections, businesses receive a certificate, which they can display to the public, and a full food hygiene report detailing the steps required to comply with the law.

They also receive recommendations of good practice to help them improve even further, and potentially receive a better score at the next inspection.

Premises with a zero rating may be served with a hygiene improvement notice, which outlines what businesses need to do and when.

Failure to meet the requirements of the notice is a criminal offence and in the most serious cases, the council has the authority to use emergency closure powers.

The council provides free advice to businesses, but businesses can also visit the Food Standards Agency website for helpful advice at www.food.gov.uk.

l Businesses that have received a zero rating at an inspection earlier the year may now have made significant enough changes to move them up the scale.

The inspections have been taken out throughout the year since January.

Zero stars

Kings Wok, Cricklade Road, Swindon Big Portions, 14 Sussex Square, Swindon Rahat Enterprises, 21 Broad Street, Swindon Happy Days Kebabs, 7 Victoria Road, Swindon HK97 Chinese take away, West Swindon District Centre, Swindon Great Wall Fish Bar, 39 Jennings Street, Swindon Papadoms 16-17 Bridge Street, Swindon The Shop, 25 Morrison Street, Swindon Sonar Banglar,142 Broad Street, Swindon Shapla, 4 Wingate Parade, Swindon Ami Tandoori, Taw Hill Village Centre, Swindon Layla Catering, Rushy Platt Farm, Swindon Mid counties Co-op, Groundwell Road, Swindon Nawaz, 105 Broad Street, Swindon Perspolis, 75 Bridge Street, Swindon

Five stars

The Plough Inn, Lechlade Road, Highworth Sims Chippy, 192 Beechcroft Road, Upper Stratton, Swindon Aramark Ltd, c/o Nationwide, Unit 1-5 James Watt Close, Swindon Eurest, c/o Stanley Security Systems, Unit 38, Bramble Road, Techno, Swindon Bookers Ltd, Elgin Industrial Estate, Swindon Subway, 42 Havelock Street, Swindon Eurest, c/o Motorola, Thamesdown Drive, Swindon O’Brien's Sandwich Bar, Great Western Designer Outlet Village, Kemble Drive, Swindon Crocodile Lunch Club, Addison Crescent, Swindon Rose Cottage Nursing Home, 47 High Street, Haydon Wick, Swindon Carillion Services Ltd, c/o Great Western Hospital, Marlborough Road, Swindon Grove Hill Residential Home, Grove Hill, Highworth The Old Post Office Guest House, Thornhill Road, South Marston, Swindon The Cheriton Nursing Home, 41-51 Westlecot Road, Old Town, Swindon Hospitality Services Limited, Unit 22, Enterprise House, Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Swindon Headstarts Day Nursery, c/o Eldene Children's Centre, Colingsmead, Swindon Wemyss Lodge, Ermine Street, Swindon Wroughton Lunch Club, Methodist Church, High Street, Wroughton Medirest , c/o Ridgeway Hospital, Moormead Road, Wroughton The Trees Day Care Nursery, Quarry Road, Swindon Ferndale Community Primary School, Wiltshire Avenue, Swindon Fitzwarren House, Kingsdown Road, Swindon Warneford School, Shrivenham Road, Highworth, St Margarets Pre-school, Kenwin Close, Swindon Subway, 9 Regent Circus, Swindon Alexandra House, Whittingham Drive, Wroughton Tram No 1, Edgware Road, Off Regent Street, Swindon Latham's Catering, Culvery Court, Harding Street, Swindon Highworth Pre-School, Ladybird Centre, Westrop School Site, Rivers Way, Highworth The Sandwich People, Booth House, 1 Spring Close, Swindon Bushwacker & Sin, 2-4 Fleet Square, Fleet Street, Swindon Carillion Services Ltd, C/o SWICC Unit, Marlborough Road, Swindon Upper Crust, Swindon Railway Station, Station Road, Swindon Cool Cat Cakes, 36 Chalgrove Field, Swindon Claasen Cakes, 92 The Bramptons, Shaw, Swindon Avenance Catering Plc, C/o Chevron Texaco, Dorcan House, Eldene Drive, Swindon Greggs plc, 1 Market Street, Swindon Café Licious, 11 Havelock Street, Swindon Lainesmead Primary School, South View Avenue, Swindon Greggs plc, 10 Havelock Square, Swindon Catalent Pharma Solutions, Frankland Road, Blagrove, Swindon Park View Nursing Home, Broad Bush, Blunsdon Restaurant Associates, C/o Arval, Windmill Hill Business Park, Swindon Princess Lodge, 17 Curie Avenue, Swindon Toothill Community Centre Lunch Club, Dunwich Drive, Swindon McDonalds Restaurant, North Swindon District Centre, Swindon Man in a Van, c/o Marks & Spencer, 81 Regent Street, Swindon North Star Nursery Ltd, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon Apple Tree Bakery, 36 Trenchard Road, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon All About Cupcakes, 9 Ascham Road, Swindon Leapfrog Day Nursery, The Neighbourhood Centre, Highdown Way, St Andrews Ridge, Swindon Oaktree Nursery And Primary School, Priory Road, Swindon Subway, 2 Hoopers Place, Newport Street, Old Town, Swindon