Aqua Shellfish food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Canterbury City
Aqua Shellfish holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 12 June 2026, 2 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.
91% of rated food businesses in Canterbury City score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Canterbury City ratings →
Address: Hut 7 Harbour Market, South Quay Whitstable Harbour, Harbour Street, CT5 1AB
How this rating has changed
Aqua Shellfish was re-inspected on 12 June 2026 and held its rating of 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2026 | 4 4 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so Aqua Shellfish sits behind roughly 1,156 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,156 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 188 | 13% | ← Aqua Shellfish | |
| 3 out of 5 | 118 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 166 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 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 Aqua Shellfish 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 Aqua Shellfish, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collins & Co Fruit, And Veg Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Crabworks Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
| Harbour Grind Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Food Of Thailand Takeaway/sandwich shop | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Canterbury & District Indoor Bowling Association Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Pollys Pies Retailers - other | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| HatHats Coffee Takeaway/sandwich shop | 53 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Battered Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2026 |
Questions about Aqua Shellfish
What is Aqua Shellfish's food hygiene rating?
Aqua Shellfish has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Canterbury City Council on 12 June 2026.
Is Aqua Shellfish safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Aqua Shellfish last inspected?
Aqua Shellfish was last inspected on 12 June 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Aqua Shellfish?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Aqua Shellfish compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,486 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, while Aqua Shellfish holds a 4. 188 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects Aqua Shellfish 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 Aqua Shellfish 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
Aqua Shellfish is one of 287 rated food businesses in Whitstable. See every hygiene rating in Whitstable →
Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,652 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →