The Glen Hotel has received another Award!!

In June 2006 we were awarded
the prestigious Eat Safe Award.

We are one of only 4 establishments in the Highlands to
get this award and we are the only privately owned.

The Food Standards Agency

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an independent food safety watchdog which was set up in April 2000 to meet growing consumer concerns about the way food safety decisions were made following a series of highly publicised food safety issues.

Food safety and standards are devolved matters and the Agency also has regional offices in Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff as well as its UK headquarters in London. The Meat Hygiene Service is an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency.

Although the FSA is a Government Agency it works at arm's length from Government because it doesn't report to a specific minister and is free to publish any advice it issues.

Our sphere of influence ranges across the entire food chain covering areas such as food standards, diet and nutrition, food safety and hygiene in abattoirs, shops, restaurants and take-aways as well as always giving clear, authoritative advice to consumers.

The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland piloted and launched the Eat Safe award in June 2003 with the Agency in Scotland coming on board in January 2005.

The Eat Safe award has been in operation in Northern Ireland since June 2003 and has recently been extended to Scotland. It is administered by local council Environmental Health Services (EHS) in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency in both Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The main aim of the scheme is to provide an incentive to caterers to strive for food hygiene and food safety management standards beyond those required by law. It will also help consumers make informed choices about where to eat out by providing a recognisable 'sign' of excellence in standards of food hygiene.

Eligible establishments are assessed for the award as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections carried out by EHS and the issuing and control of the Eat Safe award certificates is handled by local authorities.

In Northern Ireland the award is limited to catering operations to which the public has access, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, pubs serving food, takeaways, coffee shops, in-store restaurants, most hospital canteens, some workplace restaurants (with public access) and catering college restaurants. The criteria in Scotland was changed in February 2006 to include all catering establishments.

A multi-sectoral stakeholder group, known as the Eat Safe Award Implementation Group, advises and assists in the management and ongoing development of the scheme. The group consists of Environmental Health, catering and consumer representatives from both Northern Ireland and Scotland.