Plans have been agreed to raise hygiene standards in restaurants and cafes next year.

Six food outlets were closed during the 2013/14 year with Enfield Borough Council issuing 58 hygiene improvement notices from its 1,619 visits.

Ten other premises are also subject to ongoing investigations, with more than £5,000 worth of fines being dished out at the courts.

The council has also revealed that businesses rated as good or very good has increased from 59 per cent to 61 per cent in the last year.

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for environment and community safety, Councillor Chris Bond, said: “We work hard to protect residents from the ill-effects of poor hygiene in our food businesses and our officers also play an important role in raising standards and ensuring our restaurants, takeaways and cafes work hard to provide not only tasty but hygienic food at all times.
 
”This is work often goes unrecognised but environmental health officers really are the first line of defence against bugs, bacteria and pests for people who have decided to go out and enjoy themselves in one of the borough’s hundreds of restaurants."