FOLLOWING years of campaigning by the North Somerset Times a number of food outlets across the district have cleaned up their acts when it comes to hygiene.

This week we are revealing the latest round-up of health and safety scores across North Somerset - and there are far fewer lows this time around.

The paper has run a campaign over the past few years to name and shame the worst offenders when it comes to putting the health of customers at risk.

But after dozens of failing premises were highlighted to the public, there are now no companies labelled at zero stars, the lowest possible rating, across the whole district.

Below is a list of businesses which have shown others the high standards that can be achieved and which were awarded five stars between January 2011 and January 2012.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) used by North Somerset Council inspectors is a national scheme run by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Prior to the introduction of the latest scheme last January there were several different ratings in operation around the UK, which meant there was no conformity on scoring a premises.

So the FHRS set new scoring bands rated from zero to five stars.

They are based on the assessments carried out by North Somerset Council environmental health inspectors.

Three categories are used to form the rating, which are compliance for hygiene, compliance for cleaning and confidence in management.

A number of businesses across the district are yet to be inspected under the new scheme or have already received five stars under the old one.

The food safety officer inspecting a business checks how well the premises is meeting the law by looking at how hygienically the food is handled, the condition of the structure of the buildings, including the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities and how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe

A spokesman for the FSA said: “The top rating of five stars means the business was found to have very good hygiene standards.

“Any business should be able to reach this top rating.”

Over the past few years dozens of businesses have been caught flouting hygiene rules by inspectors and subsequently named and shamed in the Times following Freedom Of Information requests.

Editor Judi Kisiel said: “We believe that it is only right that people should be named and shamed when they put the health of their customers at risk.

“People have a right to know when the food they eat is being prepared in sub-standard conditions and perhaps, by holding businesses to account, this has caused some outlets to take check of how they do things.

“Equally, we feel it is important to acknowledge when businesses do well when inspected, hence the reason for including them in this article.”

Businesses awarded five stars between January 2011 and January 2012:

- Grove Junior School, White Oak Way, Nailsea.

- Golden Valley Nursery, Oaksey Grove, Nailsea.

- The Elms Nursing Home, Brinsea Road, Congresbury.

- Gordano School, St Marys Road, Portishead.

- Honeytree Day Nursery, Stoke Road, Portishead.

- Inwood Nursery, Wrington Road, Congresbury.

- Ravenswood School, Pound Lane, Nailsea.

- Pullins Bakers, High Street, Yatton.

- Mycon Youth and Luncheon Club, Silver Street, Nailsea.

- Nailsea Fish Bar, High Street, Nailsea.

- Nailsea Outreach, Station Road, Nailsea.

- Cherry Orchard, Cherry Avenue, Clevedon.

- Clevedon Court Nursing Home, Dial Hill Road, Clevedon.

- Clevedon Service Station and Budgens Convenience Store, Tickenham Road, Clevedon.

- Clarence House, High Street, Portishead.

- CJ’S Home Baking, Leighwood Drive, Nailsea.

- Blueberry Catering and Events, Claverham Road, Claverham.

- Winash, Albert Road, Clevedon.

- Waverley Lodge, Albert Lodge, Clevedon.

- CD White and Sons Ltd, Main Road, Cleeve.

- Yatton Junior School, High Street, Yatton.

- Yatton Bowling Club, Well Lane, Yatton.

- Costa Coffee, High Street, Portishead.

- Congresbury Senior Citizens, Old School Rooms, Station Road, Congresbury.

- The White Hart Inn, Clevedon Road, Weston-in-Gordano.

- Oakham Treasures, Portbury Lane, Wraxall.

- Laurel Court Nursing and Residential Home, Brockway, Nailsea.

- Jack’s Brasserie, Harbour Road, Portishead.

- Highdale Day Nursery, Highdale Avenue, Clevedon.

- Hodders Butchers, Brinsea Road, Congresbury.

- Domino’s Pizza, Crown Glass Place, Nailsea.

- Crabtree Corner Fish Bar, Millcross, Clevedon.

- Clevedon Hospital, Old Street, Clevedon.

- Chef Direct, Bridgwater Road, Barrow Gurney.

- Cadbury House and Country Club, Frost Hill, Congresbury.

- Cadbury Garden and Leisure, Smallway, Congresbury.

- Britannia Spice, Dark Lane, Backwell.

- Belly Busters, Hither Green, Clevedon.

- Anne Guy Catering, Chelvey Road, Backwell.

- Yatton Hall Nursing Home, High Street, Yatton.

- Windmill Inn, Nore Road, Portishead.

- Tyntesfield, Wraxall.

- The Town and Country Lodge, Bridgwater Road, Long Ashton.

- The Battleaxes, Bristol Road, Wraxall.

- Southern Co-operative, Old Street, Clevedon.

- Sadexo, Ashton Court Mansion, Long Ashton.

- Scotch Horn Leisure Centre, Brockway, Nailsea.

- Portishead Open Air Pool, Esplanade Road, Portishead.

- Poppy’s, Old Street, Clevedon.

- Pioneer, Wyndham Way, Portishead.

- Penny Brohn Cancer Care, Chapel Pill Lane, Pill.

- Parsons Bakery, Lovelinch Gardens, Long Ashton.

- Oceans Coffee Shop, Portishead Quay Marina, Portishead.