When having a barbecue at a campus residence, please follow these guidelines:

1. Make sure you book your barbecue site with a minimum of 48 hours notice.
2. Use the nearest fixed barbecue at the official site for your own residence (if available).
3. Use only proper solid barbecue fuel and fire lighters. No liquids or gases of any kind can be used and care should be taken when adding more solid fuel to the fire.
4. Use tongs to handle all food and ensure everything is fully cooked before serving.
5. No more than 20 people should attend a residential area barbecue and remember to ensure that noise levels do not cause a disturbance to other residents or neighbouring properties.
6. If you wish to book a BBQ for a larger event (i.e. over 20 attendees) then you will need to also complete an Outdoor Event Form with the appropriate notice given.
7. The event should be finished by 10pm (9pm during the summer term examination period - including weekends).
8. Do not remove any hot fuel from the barbecue, leave it to cool and clear the area of all equipment and debris at the end of the event. Please take your rubbish to the appropriate space within your residential area.
9. When the grill has cooled, store it in the upright position.
10. If you are unsure whether the area is clear and safe or if you should require any first aid or urgent assistance, please call the Community Safety Hub on 024 7652 22083.
11. The booker of the barbecue has the responsibility for the behaviour of guests and please remember that members of the Residential Community Team and Community Safety Officers are able to end the barbecue if required to do so.
12. The Food Standards Agency has some guidelines for ensuring food is cooked correctly: https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/barbecues

    • It's vital you remember the 4C's of food hygiene:

      1. chilling and defrosting
      2. cooking
      3. cleaning
      4. cross-contamination

    • 1. Chilling and defrosting

      Chilling food properly helps stop harmful bacteria from growing, especially in the warm summer months.

      To keep your food safe:

      • don't defrost foods at room temperature
      • defrost food overnight in the fridge or if this is not possible, using a microwave on the defrost setting directly before cooking
      • cool cooked foods quickly at room temperature and then place in the fridge within one to two hours
      • store raw foods separately from ready-to-eat foods, covered on the bottom shelf of your fridge
      • keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible during preparation
      • keep any food with a use-by date, cooked dishes, salads and ready-to-eat desserts chilled and out of the sun until serving time
      • don't overfill your fridge, this allows air to circulate and maintains the set temperature

      Some foods need to be kept in the fridge to help slow down the growth of bacteria and keep food fresh and safe for longer. Use a fridge thermometer to check the temperature is below 5°C as the dials on fridges don't always show you the right temperature.

    • 2. Cooking

      Cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed.

      Don't forget, charred on the outside doesn't always mean cooked on the inside. Before serving meat that you have cooked on the barbecue, always check that:

      • the meat is steaming hot throughout
      • there is no pink meat visible when you cut into the thickest part
      • meat juices run clear

      This applies to products made from minced meat such as:

      • burgers
      • sausages
      • kebabs
      • chicken
      • pork

      Consider cooking all chicken and pork in the oven first, then giving it a final finish on your barbecue. Your friends and family will still experience that special barbecue chargrilled taste, and you know that you have cooked the meat all the way through.

      Burgers

      Remember that a burger is not like a steak. Burgers should always be served well done, they should not be served rare or pink. This is because when meat is minced to produce burgers, any harmful bacteria from the surface of the raw meat spread throughout the burger.

      Unless the burger is cooked right through, these bacteria can remain alive on the inside. This applies equally to all meat that is minced, including good quality or expensive meat.

    • 3. Cleaning

      Effective cleaning gets rid of bacteria on hands, equipment and surfaces, helping to stop harmful bacteria from spreading onto food.

      Help minimise the risk of germs spreading by:

      • washing hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before cooking and eating, especially if you've been handling raw meat or things like firelighters
      • keeping utensils and serving dishes clean when preparing food and ensuring you don't mix those used to prepare raw and ready-to-eat dishes
      • never washing raw chicken or any other meat - it just splashes germs onto your hands, utensils and worktops

    • 4. Avoiding cross-contamination

      Cross-contamination is most likely to happen when raw food touches or drips onto ready-to-eat food, utensils or surfaces.

      Prevent it by:

      • storing raw meat separately from ready-to-eat foods
      • using different utensils, plates and chopping boards for raw and cooked food
      • washing your hands after touching raw meat and before you handle ready-to-eat food