London is the worst city in the UK for food hygiene

London restaurants and cafes are the most unhygienic in the country, according to latest info from the Food Standards Agency.

A report collated by High Speed Training was released on Friday, detailing the best and worst places in the UK for food hygiene. The survey analysed ratings given by the Food Standards Agency to around 215,000 food businesses across the whole UK.

London’s 35,833 food outlets have the lowest average food hygiene of any UK region or city, with an average rating of 4.36 out of 5. By comparison, the South West sits at the top of the list with an average rating of 4.66 out of 5.

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The High Speed Training survey also detailed the best and worst average hygiene ratings in each London borough. Kensington and Chelsea ranked top of the list with an average hygiene rating of 4.80 out of 5 - an impressive score for over 1,000 premises.

At the bottom of the table, Waltham Forest only scored an average rating of 3.74 out of 5. This rating would make Waltham Forest the worst place for food hygiene in the UK in a list of every town in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

food hygiene ratings ranked from best to worst

There’s bad news for takeaway fans as well - the report found that almost 1 in 4 takeaways (23%) across London scored 3 or less for hygiene.

Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, remarked: ‘Recently, we have seen many high profile cases of food poisoning and illnesses caused by food-borne bacteria.

‘This is why food hygiene ratings are so important - they are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates and are of critical importance to consumers.

‘Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2023. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to keep performing at high standards.’