Hygiene ratings for every food outlet in the town were published online for the first time exactly a year ago. They revealed 19 venues were awarded a five- star rating while 46 were given the lowest possible rating of no stars.

Twelve months on and the number of top-rated venues has increased to 30, while the number of zero-starred outlets has fallen to 37.

Scores from inspections by environmental health officers have been updated online over the past year as part of a venture aimed at shaming those venues with poor food hygiene standards and encouraging them to clean up their act.

Councillor Tony Woods (Lib Dem, St David's), leader of Northampton Borough Council, said: "It's good to see that standards of hygiene in Northampton are improving at a time when businesses are under significant financial pressure.

"We are going to carry on pressing home the importance of food hygiene and those venues that are not complying can expect us to take further action."

Despite the improved statistics, the worry remains that of the 30 venues given a five star rating, only one is a fully-fledged restaurant – La Galleria in Sheep Street. Other venues given the top ranking include lap-dancing club Urban Tiger, Waitrose, Northampton General Hospital and fast food outlets McDonalds and KFC.

A full list of the zero-star rated restaurants is available online.

Councillor Woods added: "We all assume there to be a basic level of cleanliness when we go for a meal and we expect food to be properly prepared and healthily cooked. We do not want to be going home with a dodgy tummy.

"We will keep up the pressure and drive home the message to restaurants that food hygiene is of paramount importance."

A total of 1,375 eateries in Northampton have been rated, with food hygiene inspectors looking at issues including how foods were stored, how food was prepared as well as employee training and standards.

Whenever a business fails to meet hygiene regulations officers will take appropriate action and a Hygiene Improvement Notice sent to inform the business what steps should be taken.

For a full list of all restaurants, and to see how many stars were awarded to your favourite food outlet, click here

The 30 eateries across Northampton scoring five stars for food safety compliance are:
3663 Freshfoods First Ltd 12 Gambrel Road Duston
Argos Ltd, Abington Street
Boots The Chemists Ltd Fairground Way Riverside Park
BP Express Shopping Ltd Upton Way Upton
Carlsberg Brewery 140 Bridge Street
Farmhouse Meats Unit 3 Dallington Fields Business Park Gladstone Road Spencer
Gaggia 8 Peacock Place
Hardingstone Village Hall High Street Hardingstone
Houghton Hams 62 Tenter Road Moulton Park
Houghton Hams 58 Tenter Road Moulton Park
Ken Stewart Family Centre Cliftonville
Kentucky Fried Chicken 73 Abington Street
La Galleria 18a Sheep Street
Liburd Community Room Whilton Road Kingsthorpe
Manfield Health Campus Cynthia Spencer & Favell Hse Kettering Road
Marks & Spencer 41/45 Abington Street
McDonald's Restaurants Ltd 9/13 The Drapery
Nene Valley Day Nursery
Northampton General Hospital Complex Cliftonville
Nu Nu Day Nursery Kettering Road
Office Depot Gowerton Road Brackmills
Roobarb & Custard Ceramics Cafe 12 Wellington Street
Tate & Lyle Sugars (hoyer Uk) Tweed Road Weedon Rd Indus Est
Tesco Stores Ltd Caswell Road Brackmills
Three Shires Hospital The Avenue Cliftonville
Tmi Foods Ltd Cornhill Close Lodge Farm Ind Est
Uniq Prepared Foods 15 Deer Park Road Moulton Park
Urban Tiger 32/34 Abington Square
Waitrose Ltd 11 Kingsthorpe Centre Harborough Road
Whittard Of Chelsea 2 Ravens Way Crow Lane Ind Est.