Ware Road Express food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · East Hertfordshire
Ware Road Express holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Ware Road Express was inspected on 21 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 22 Ware Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 7HH
How it compares in East Hertfordshire
A 2 is rare: only 6 of 1,168 rated places in East Hertfordshire score this low, about one in 195. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 146 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ← Ware Road Express | |
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 221 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Ware Road Express the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Ware Road Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford Methodist Church Trustees Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 163 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Great Eastern Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 234 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 352 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2024 |
| Hertford Cake Co Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 369 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2024 |
| Abel Smith Primary School School/college/university | 384 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Hertford Bell Pub/bar/nightclub | 423 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2024 |
| Cinnabar Cafe Pub/bar/nightclub | 424 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2023 |
Questions about Ware Road Express
What is Ware Road Express's food hygiene rating?
Ware Road Express has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by East Hertfordshire Council on 21 May 2026.
Is Ware Road Express safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Ware Road Express last inspected?
Ware Road Express was last inspected on 21 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Ware Road Express?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Ware Road Express compare to other places in East Hertfordshire?
84% of the 1,168 rated food businesses in East Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while Ware Road Express holds a 2. 6 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Hertfordshire Council inspects Ware Road Express and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Ware Road Express and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at East Hertfordshire, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: East Hertfordshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Ware Road Express is one of 255 rated food businesses in Hertford. See every hygiene rating in Hertford →
East Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,389 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastherts.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →