Smithies food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Sefton
Smithies holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 17 May 2017, more than 9 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 1- 3 Hoghton Street, Southport, PR9 0TE
How it compares in Sefton
In Sefton, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so Smithies sits behind roughly 1,796 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,796 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 217 | 10% | ← Smithies | |
| 3 out of 5 | 82 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 265 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Smithies none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Smithies, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boots UK Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 160 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2023 |
| Cafe 1821 Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 168 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2025 |
| Caffe Dolce Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2026 |
| Barrel and Vine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 202 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 219 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 231 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2024 |
| Antonio's Retailers - other | 276 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| B&M Express Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 289 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
Questions about Smithies
What is Smithies's food hygiene rating?
Smithies has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Sefton Council on 17 May 2017.
Is Smithies safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Smithies last inspected?
Smithies was last inspected on 17 May 2017, more than 9 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sefton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Smithies?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Smithies compare to other places in Sefton?
84% of the 2,128 rated food businesses in Sefton hold the top rating of 5, while Smithies holds a 4. 217 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sefton Council inspects Smithies 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 Smithies and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Smithies is one of 656 rated food businesses in Southport. See every hygiene rating in Southport →
Sefton inspects and rates 2,393 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sefton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sefton.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 →