Food safety

We are responsible for making sure the food produced, handled and sold in Great Yarmouth is safe, correctly labelled and meets legal requirements.

We inspect all businesses in the borough that prepare, serve or sell food. We give them a rating that reflects the level of food safety and hygiene we find. You can check the ratings on the Food Standards Agency (opens new window) website. 

You can view the food premises register free of charge at the Town Hall or buy a copy of a single entry from the register for £20.00 or a copy of the full register for £974.00.

If you are concerned about something you have witnessed in a food business within the Borough, please do not hesitate to contact us. We may have recently visited the particular premises and be able to explain what you saw, or if we have not recently visited the premises we will make a visit to assess the business and make sure they are producing safe food.

If your complaint is about a fairly minor problem you should contact the company you bought the food from.

If you think the problem could pose a public risk you should let us know. Concerns should be addressed to our Environmental Health department.

Tell us if:

• Food is not safe to eat or actually makes you ill
• Food is mouldy, contaminated or contains a foreign object (eg glass in a cake)
• Additives have been used improperly
• Something has been added to the food that affects its safety or quality (eg antifreeze in spirits)

It would be useful if you:

• Save the receipt
• Tell us exactly where you bought the food
• Keep the food and its original packaging

You should contact Trading Standards at Norfolk County Council if your food complaint is about:

• Labelling offences or misleading claims
• The quality of the food
• The nature of the food being incorrect (eg cod sold as haddock)
• Food sold after its use by date   

See NHS Choices (opens new window) for guidance.

You should visit your doctor if you think you have food poisoning. If your doctor confirms (with a faecal sample) that you have got it, we will automatically be notified.

If you are a food handler, work with children under five or the elderly, you should not go to work until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. 

Please see our Food safety training page for details of available courses and associated costs.