ONE YEAR on from the launch of a controversial food hygiene ‘name and shame’ scheme, hundreds of Oxford’s restaurants, cafes, takeaways and sandwich shops have cleaned up their act.

Scores on the Doors is a nationwide programme which rates hygiene standards at all kinds of food outlets.

The scheme sees food vendors given between none and five stars for cleanliness, with five being the highest ranking.

When the scheme was launched in Oxford last year, just 73 outlets got top marks.

This year, that figure has more than trebled to 243.

Among those receiving top marks were the Churchill Hospital’s main kitchen and the ward kitchen of the Women’s Centre at the John Radcliffe.

Several Oxford University kitchens, the Oxford Academy school and Oxford Homeless Pathways, formerly the Oxford Night Shelter, were also ranked among the cleanest.

The city council, which carries out the checks, said the system was a huge success.

Ian Wright, the council’s health development service manager, said: “It’s been one of the best things we have done for driving up compliance in the city. In an ideal world, all the outlets would be five stars, obviously. But we’re very pleased with the results.”

Last year, the city had 335 four-star premises, 233 with three stars, 159 with two, 38 with one and 22 with none.

The latest figures show there are 301 four-star premises, 188 three-star, 87 with two, 35 with one, and eight with no stars.

In April, Cafe Rouge, in Little Clarendon Street, was closed down when environmental health officers found an infestation of mice and cockroaches.

Now the restaurant,which has a new management team, is celebrating after receiving four stars in its latest inspection.

Manager Suzanne Hemchaoui said her staff were very proud of the changes they had achieved at the restaurant.

Mr Wright said another success story was the Al-Shami Lebanese Restaurant, in Walton Street, Jericho. It was shut down briefly in March after officers found evidence of cross-contamination between raw meats and ready-to-eat food, such as cooked meats and salad.

Mr Wright said Mimo Mahfouz, who has owned Al-Shami for 22 years, had since gone “above and beyond” to rectify the situation.

Mr Mahfouz said: “We have always served good fresh food. But now we pay as much attention to cleanliness as well.”

Mr Wright added: “This scheme has helped the people at the top to be recognised, the people in the middle to move up, and it’s helped officers focus on the people at the bottom. It’s a win-win situation.”