The Royal Hotel in Stornoway has been awarded with a Food Standards Scotland Eat Safe Award, helping customers recognise the establishment as a place of good food hygiene practices.

Stornoway South councillor Frances Murray, Chair of the Comhairle's Community Safety Board, presented head chef Dahi Rai, director Alexander MacLeod and the rest of the team with the award.

The Eat Safe Award is granted by the Environmental Health Service of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in conjunction with Food Standards Scotland. 

The main aim of the scheme is to provide an incentive to food businesses to strive for food hygiene and food safety management standards beyond those required by law. It also helps consumers make informed choices about where to eat out by providing a recognisable sign of excellence in standards of food hygiene.

Cllr Frances Murray, Chair of the Community Safety Board was delighted to hand over an award from the Comhairle to Dahi Rai and Alexander MacLeod.

Cllr Murray said: "The Eat Safe award is only presented to businesses that have achieved hygiene standards beyond those required by law, so their commitment has to be commended. I would encourage all businesses within the Outer Hebrides to aim for this award as it provides them with a valuable tool to reassure their customers of a continuing commitment to produce food safely."

Eligible establishments are assessed as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections undertaken by officers from Environmental Health. To find out more about the scheme, check the Food Standards Scotland website.