The Village Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Swale
The Village Store holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 August 2018, more than 7 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: 156 The Street, Boughton Under Blean, Kent, ME13 9AL
How it compares in Swale
That puts The Village Store among the 989 places in Swale holding top marks, 83% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 989 | 83% | ← The Village Store | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 40 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 The Village Store 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 The Village Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magpie Playgroup Caring Premises | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2025 |
| Pabulum Ltd At Boughton Under Blean Primary School/college/university | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2024 |
| D-Dee's Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 October 2025 |
| Oak Motors Garage - Convenience Shop Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 September 2015 |
| Cave Hotels And Golf Resort Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Dukes Roasters Mobile caterer | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
Questions about The Village Store
What is The Village Store's food hygiene rating?
The Village Store has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Swale Council on 2 August 2018.
Is The Village Store safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Village Store last inspected?
The Village Store was last inspected on 2 August 2018, more than 7 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Village Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Village Store compare to other places in Swale?
83% of the 1,186 rated food businesses in Swale hold the top rating of 5, and The Village Store is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Swale Council inspects The Village Store 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 The Village Store 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Swale inspects and rates 1,226 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swale.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 →