Get ready for your first inspection
In the last week before opening, walk the premises as an EHO would: HACCP diary up to date and signed, temperature logs running, allergen matrix on hand, staff able to answer basic hygiene questions, cleaning schedule visible, structural condition (surfaces, handwashing facilities, pest proofing) tidy and complete.
In the last week before opening, walk the premises as an EHO would: HACCP diary up to date and signed, temperature logs running, allergen matrix on hand, staff able to answer basic hygiene questions, cleaning schedule visible, structural condition (surfaces, handwashing facilities, pest proofing) tidy and complete. Your first inspection usually happens within a few weeks to a few months of registration and sets your rating.
Your first rating sticks in public view and shapes customer perception from day one — a poor score is hard to shake even after you fix the underlying issues, because the old rating stays live until you are reinspected.
England
In the final week before opening, and again as a refresh a month or two after you open once real trading patterns settle.
Free
Check what is published once you have been inspected — ratings normally appear online a few weeks after the visit.
Scotland
In the final week before opening, and again as a refresh a month or two after you open once real trading patterns settle.
Free
Food Standards Scotland's FHIS lookup — check what is published once you have been inspected.
Who this is for
Every venue preparing or serving food, in the run-up to opening.
Applies once you are registered and trading — inspections are risk-based, so a full kitchen is prioritised over a drinks-only bar.
What you’ll hold
- Completed HACCP diary
- Temperature logs
- Allergen matrix
- Cleaning schedule
Watch out for
- Getting the paperwork right but the physical premises wrong — a spotless diary does not offset a broken handwash basin or a missing soap dispenser on the day.
- Only the manager being ready — the EHO will talk to whoever is on shift, and inconsistent answers from junior staff bring the score down regardless of what management knows.
- Assuming a good score is permanent — it reflects the inspection on the day, and a slide in standards afterwards only shows up at the next visit, by which point customers have seen the old score.
Sources
- FSA — Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) checked 2026-09-02
- Food Standards Scotland — Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) checked 2026-09-08
See also
This is item 40 of 66 in the free UK Launch Checklist. See the whole list →