Taste Of Africa food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Swindon
Taste Of Africa holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the shop requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 29 July 2025, 11 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: 12 Market Street, Swindon, SN1 1RZ
How it compares in Swindon
A 0 is rare: only 6 of 1,428 rated places in Swindon score this low, about one in 238. 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 | 1,182 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 177 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 42 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ← Taste Of Africa |
A further 208 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Urgent improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Urgent 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 Taste Of Africa the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and 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 Taste Of Africa, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abes Cakes & Kitchen Retailers - other | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2024 |
| C The K Afro Caribbean Store Retailers - other | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Beta Chow Takeaway/sandwich shop | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 July 2025 |
| Ambala Foods Retailers - other | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Blues Cafe Bar Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 97 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Balbinka Supermarket Retailers - other | 114 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 October 2023 |
| Alina's Fish & Wingies Limited/The Beefy Burger/Bird Burger Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Broccoli Pizza & Pasta / (Online) WOPSTA Noodle & Pasta Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2025 |
Questions about Taste Of Africa
What is Taste Of Africa's food hygiene rating?
Taste Of Africa has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Swindon Council on 29 July 2025.
Is Taste Of Africa safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The shop may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Taste Of Africa last inspected?
Taste Of Africa was last inspected on 29 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swindon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Taste Of Africa?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "urgent improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "urgent improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Taste Of Africa compare to other places in Swindon?
83% of the 1,428 rated food businesses in Swindon hold the top rating of 5, while Taste Of Africa holds a 0. 6 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swindon Council inspects Taste Of Africa 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 Taste Of Africa 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 0 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 Swindon, 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: Swindon
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Swindon inspects and rates 1,636 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swindon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swindon.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 →