The city scored an average of 4.35 out of 5 in a recent report by High Speed Training, which analysed Food Standards Agency data for nearly 240,000 food businesses across the UK. Dr Richard Anderson, director of learning at High Speed Training, said: "Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. The report also found that 18.41 per cent of takeaways and sandwich shops in the region scored 3 or below. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is a partnership with local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dr Anderson said: "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."