The Top Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
The Top Shop holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 January 2025, 17 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 1 Beech Court, Shankill, Lurgan, BT66 6AN
How it compares in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
A 1 is rare: only 4 of 1,738 rated places in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon score this low, about one in 435. By contrast 83% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,451 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 211 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 64 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ← The Top Shop | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 145 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Top Shop the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. 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 The Top Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Balloon Takeaway/sandwich shop | 147 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Hannons Retailers - other | 229 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2022 |
| Clan NA Gael Gac Retailers - other | 329 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 May 2019 |
| Cafolla Joe's Manufacturers/packers | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| Chaska House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Ashburn Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| China's Finest Ltd. Takeaway/sandwich shop | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
| Choung Welcome Takeaway/sandwich shop | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2024 |
Questions about The Top Shop
What is The Top Shop's food hygiene rating?
The Top Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council on 13 January 2025.
Is The Top Shop safe to eat at?
A 1 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 The Top Shop last inspected?
The Top Shop was last inspected on 13 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Top Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Top Shop compare to other places in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon?
83% of the 1,738 rated food businesses in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon hold the top rating of 5, while The Top Shop holds a 1. 4 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council inspects The Top Shop 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 Top Shop 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 1 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 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, 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: Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Top Shop is one of 871 rated food businesses in Armagh. See every hygiene rating in Armagh →
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon inspects and rates 1,883 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.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 →