A food standards watchdog has found Harrow to be in the bottom ten authorities in the UK for food hygiene inspections.

Data compiled by consumer campaigner Which? based on a study by the Food Standards Agency discovered that overall, work around food standards dropped by 16.8 per cent last year in the UK, and that some local authorities are struggling to ensure businesses comply with hygiene rules.

Richard Lloyd from Which? said: “No one wants another horsemeat fiasco, so it is very worrying that local authority food checks are in decline.

“We want to see a more strategic approach to food law enforcement that makes the best use of limited resources and responds effectively to the huge challenges facing the food supply chain.”

Despite being ranked as one of the worst in the country, Harrow Council insist that it inspected all high risk premises in the borough, focusing its efforts on those that posed the greatest risk.

Leader of the council Susan Hall (Conservative) said: “While we believe we have enforced against the worst offenders, clearly this assessment by Which? is a concern.

"Last autumn I ordered a review of the service and as a result of that we are recruiting more food hygiene officers to carry out inspections.”

A council spokesman said that the borough will continue to review premises and take further action if necessary.