(Image: NQ)
Analysis of food hygiene ratings show that Ripon is top in Yorkshire and Humberside for the best average score, with York coming ninth out of 15 towns or cities.
Food outlets in Ripon have an average rating of 4.82 out of five, compared with 4.54 in York. Third place Harrogate has an average food hygiene rating of 4.68. Bradford came bottom, with an average of 4.35.
Ripon had increased its average score by 0.17 since 2025, placing it seventh nationally in the ratings for more than 100 UK towns and cities.
The region’s worst performer- Bradford - came joint 46th nationally.
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Yorkshire and Humberside had an average of 4.58, the same as last year, based on data concerning 21,433 premises, placing it sixth out of ten regions.
Across the region, 30 premises scored a zero and 302 scored a 1.
Some 18.41 per cent of takeaways across the region scored 3 or below for their food hygiene rating, and 89.53 per cent of premises scored a 4 or a 5 on their rating, including90.88 per cent of restaurants and cafes.
The most common rating scored by businesses was 5, with 72.99 per cent of all premises across Yorkshire and Humberside scoring top marks.
The figures have been compiled by online training provider High Speed Training, which analysed the hygiene ratings of some 240,000 UK food businesses listed on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website.
Across England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Ipswich and Southport were the highest rated towns, scoring averages of 4.92, whilst the South West took the top regional spot, scoring an average of 4.69.
Dr Richard Anderson, Director of Learning at High Speed Training, said: “These ratings are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates, and we urge businesses and customers to take them seriously.
“For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, and may have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.”
“Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2025. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to not only performing well as a business, but attracting and retaining customers.
“We would urge customers to always check the food hygiene ratings of establishments they wish to dine at, as it allows them to make an informed decision when choosing where to eat.”
City of York Council said: “Protecting the public remains our top priority. Our performance indicators show that, year-on-year, our team are maintaining a high level of compliant food businesses within the city whilst taking robust action against those very few businesses who do not meet the required standards.”
The council added whilst the report said York had 915 food premises covered by the rating scheme, the city currently has 2,048 such premises.
To read the full report, go to: https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/food-hygiene-ratings-report/