Spar food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Southend-On-Sea
Spar 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 January 2025, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Units 1 To 4, 662 - 664 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2PS
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
That puts Spar among the 973 places in Southend-On-Sea holding top marks, 70% 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 | 973 | 70% | ← Spar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 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 Spar 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 Spar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best One Retailers - other | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Cafe 709 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| Byers Bakery Ltd Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
| Centre Place Family Centre Nursery Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Boulevard Lodge Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Abbottswood Lodge Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 March 2026 |
| Best One Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Billy Hundreds Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2024 |
Questions about Spar
What is Spar's food hygiene rating?
Spar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 2 January 2025.
Is Spar 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 Spar last inspected?
Spar was last inspected on 2 January 2025, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar?
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 Spar compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, and Spar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects Spar 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 Spar 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
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.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 →