Friends Express food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Birmingham
Friends Express 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 8 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: 130 Bucklands End Lane, Birmingham, B34 6BP
How it compares in Birmingham
That puts Friends Express among the 5,380 places in Birmingham holding top marks, 66% 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 | 5,380 | 66% | ← Friends Express | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,309 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 695 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 318 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 387 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 82 | 1% |
A further 1,866 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 Good
- 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 Friends Express 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 Friends Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| B And A Offlicence (CLOSED NOW 1ST ) Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2011 |
| Birmingham Motors Sales UK Ltd Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2009 |
| Audley Primary School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
| ABM Catering @ Hodge Hill Girls Scho School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 January 2024 |
| Baroush Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2025 |
| Aldi Foodstore Ltd Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2017 |
| Bakeville Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 November 2024 |
| Ambridge Community Centre Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2010 |
Questions about Friends Express
What is Friends Express's food hygiene rating?
Friends Express has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Birmingham Council on 8 January 2025.
Is Friends Express 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 Friends Express last inspected?
Friends Express was last inspected on 8 January 2025, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Birmingham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Friends Express?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Friends Express compare to other places in Birmingham?
66% of the 8,171 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, and Friends Express is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham Council inspects Friends Express 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 Friends Express 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
Birmingham inspects and rates 10,037 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Birmingham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/environmental-health
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 →