Towes (Premier) Convenience Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Sevenoaks
Towes (Premier) Convenience Store 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 23 October 2024, 20 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: 19 - 21 High Street, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8AE
How it compares in Sevenoaks
A 1 is rare: only 6 of 853 rated places in Sevenoaks score this low, about one in 142. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 669 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 118 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ← Towes (Premier) Convenience Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 104 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 Towes (Premier) Convenience Store 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 Towes (Premier) Convenience Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 8 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
| Lullingstone Castle Pub/bar/nightclub | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Blue Harbour Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 278 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
| Holland And Barrett Retailers - other | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2024 |
| Motties Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 335 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Galms Ltd T/A McDonald's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 339 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2024 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2026 |
| Greggs Plc Takeaway/sandwich shop | 372 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
Questions about Towes (Premier) Convenience Store
What is Towes (Premier) Convenience Store's food hygiene rating?
Towes (Premier) Convenience Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Sevenoaks Council on 23 October 2024.
Is Towes (Premier) Convenience Store 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 Towes (Premier) Convenience Store last inspected?
Towes (Premier) Convenience Store was last inspected on 23 October 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sevenoaks Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Towes (Premier) Convenience Store?
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 Towes (Premier) Convenience Store compare to other places in Sevenoaks?
78% of the 853 rated food businesses in Sevenoaks hold the top rating of 5, while Towes (Premier) Convenience Store holds a 1. 6 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sevenoaks Council inspects Towes (Premier) Convenience 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 Towes (Premier) Convenience 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 →
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 Sevenoaks, 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: Sevenoaks
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Towes (Premier) Convenience Store is one of 86 rated food businesses in Swanley. See every hygiene rating in Swanley →
Sevenoaks inspects and rates 957 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sevenoaks →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sevenoaks.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 →