NEW food hygiene ratings have been awarded to restaurants, pubs and takeaways in Crewe.

A raft of inspection results have been revealed by the Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for food safety and food hygiene in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all from the turn of the year.

The agency works with local councils to enforce food safety and businesses handed low ratings of zero or one are compelled to make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards.

No zero ratings have been dished out this year, but three Crewe takeaways were handed ratings of only one, which signals they must undertake major improvements.

Fourteen eateries were given top marks with ratings of five, including Giovanni's (Gio's) Italian restaurant on Nantwich Road, the Lyceum Restaurant and Crewe Hall Hotel.

All those in the top category have food hygiene standards rated as very good.

But the Great Wall on Edleston Road, Treasure Horse on Minshull New Road and Moorlands Fast Food at Hightown have been told they will have to make major improvements to their standards of food hygiene.

The Great Wall takeaway was taken to task for its food handling and management of food safety. Treasure Horse needs to make major improvements on the way it manages food safety as does Moorlands Fast Food.

After its inspection, Champion House takeaway in Haslington will also need to make improvements focusing on its food handling.

A total of 25 commercial eateries were awarded ratings in January, February and March this year following inspections.

Those receiving the highest rating of five were:

Giovanni's; Nantwich Road, 23-25 Nantwich Road, Crewe

Costa Coffee; 40 Market Street, Crewe

Broughton Arms; 95 Crewe Road, Haslington

Lucky Dragon; 25 Mill Street, Crewe

Lyceum Restaurant; Heath Street, Crewe

Crewe Hall Hotel; Weston Road, Crewe

White Lion; 35 Warmingham Road, Crewe

Four rating

Lucky Horse takeaway; 227 Nantwich Road, Crewe

Cathay Princess; 9 Edleston Road, Crewe

Royal China; 165 Edleston Road, Crewe

Champion House; Crewe Road, Haslington

One

Treasure Horse takeaway; 133 Minshull New Road, Crewe

None

Cheshire East Council food safety officers have several enforcement options available to them including offering advice and guidance to make sure improvements are made.

• A zero rating means urgent improvements are necessary; a rating of one signals major improvements are necessary; two means improvements are necessary; three means the standard of hygiene is generally satisfactory; four is good on assessment; and five is viewed as very good.