One pub out of ten presents a "significant" threat to public health because of low standards of food hygiene, while six in ten present a "minor risk", The Publican reported.

The problems relate to areas such as storing chilled and frozen food, washing food before preparation and standards of hygiene among staff. Pubs were third in the list of concerns, with takeaway outlets heading up the list, closely followed by restaurants and cafés.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which carried out the report, is now to spend an extra £1 million on providing local authorities with the resources to train small businesses to handle, prepare and serve food safely.