A FISH and chip takeaway business has secured the top food hygiene rating following a recent inspection. 

Codfather and the Pearl Restaurant, located in Blackwood, have recently secured a five star food hygiene rating following a recent inspection. 

The inspection, carried out on on Thursday, November 7, has awarded the takeaway an overall rating of very good, or five stars. 

The Food Hygiene Rating Act 2013 became law in Wales on March 4, 2013, requiring all businesses selling food in Wales - including pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels, takeaways, schools, hospitals, canteens, care homes and corner shops – to display hygiene ratings in a prominent place, and to provide the information verbally if requested over the phone.

Inspections are carried out by the local authority officers, and ratings - from zero, meaning urgent improvement is necessary or they may risk closure; to five, meaning standards are excellent - are updated on the FSA website.

Each inspection is carried out under three specific categories.

These are hygienic food handling, which covers the hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage; cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, which involves the cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control, to enable good food hygiene; and management of food safety which covers the system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future. 

For each category, a business is given a rating of between very unsatisfactory and very good. 

Codfather and the Pearl Restaurant was given a rating of good for all three categories of hygienic food handling,  cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and the management of food safety. 

A spokesperson for Codfather and the Pearl Restaurant posted on Facebook on Wednesday, November 13, writing: "Hello everyone, just want to say a big thankyou to our customers  and our staff,. 

"Hard work paid off. Don’t miss out come and enjoy your food at our restaurant. Thankyou again."

The Codfather and the Pearl Restaurant is open Monday to Saturday between 10am and 8.45pm at 100 High Street in Blackwood.