Additional Features information

The following information suggests the standards that your business will be expected to achieve if you claim to fulfill any of the options. These features are not a condition of achieving the award.

Before adding any of these claims to your features list please read the notes for each option. We suggest these are the minimum standards that you should achieve before making the claim. Failure to do so may be misleading and constitute a breach of the Trades Description Act.

The Features you can select are:

Local Produce

*This will be removed from 1st July 2007

Healthy Eating Options

At least 20% of the food you serve/offer for sale across the menu range/range of products should be healthier food choices, cooked in a healthier way.

Healthier Food Choices are:

• Low in fat
• Low in sugar
• Low in salt
• High in fruit and vegetables

Healthier alternatives include:

• Low fat spread
• Low fat dressing
• Sweeteners
• Low fat fromage frais
• Skimmed/semi skimmed milk
• Wholemeal/brown bread

Speciality Diets

This would include serving/selling foods to customers who require specific dietary requirements such as:

• Diabetic foods
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Vegan

You may want to display them in specific sections or clearly mark them on menus. Staff should be trained to know what meals/products meet which dietary requirements.

Vegetarian Options

Vegetarian option means just that. You shouldn’t claim it if you just have a fruit salad on your menu or if you just sell fruit and veg. There should be a range of choices of vegetarian meals or specific products. It also means you should be using separate utensils and pans when cooking vegetarian food.

Organic Food

Foods must be produced and handled in compliance with the Soil Association Standards. Good traceability and separation (if non-organic foods are also sold) will need to be in place to ensure there are no contamination claims.

No Smoking

If you claim to have no smoking areas they should be good separation from smoking areas.  Customers should not be affected by drifting or blown smoke or the smell of it in those areas. Ideally you should have separate rooms but if you can't do this, good ventilation bewteen areas will be essential. For example, having a smoking table next to a non smoking table would not be acceptable.

Child Friendly

Premises should provide facilities that make it easier for families with young children to use their business if they are going to make this claim.  This could include:

• Trolleys with child seats and belts
• At least 2 high chairs with belts
• Children’s menu/children’s portions
• Baby changing/feeding facilities
• Child safe environment, e.g. fences, gates, fire/radiator guards to minimise the risk of any hazards.

You will need to have procedures in place to ensure all equipment and facilities provided are well maintained and kept clean

Disabled Friendly

Businesses must have addressed the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This doesn’t mean just looking at wheelchair accessibility. You need to consider other disabled people such as the blind or partially sighted and the hard of hearing. This could mean having large text signs or menus, clearly marked changes in floor height or providing hand rails. It might involve ensuring staff are aware of the needs of disabled people and helping them as much as possible.

You need to be able to show you have taken all reasonable steps to help make your premises accessible for the disabled. 

For more detailed advice on compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act please contact Wealden D.C's Building Control Section.

Local Produce

Details of what local produce is used and where it is from should be kept. There should be clear identification for customers to show what items are produced locally.

“Local” relates to a radius of 30 miles or 1 hours drive of the premises.