Spar food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Cornwall
Spar 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 22 August 2025, 10 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: Balsdon Road, Whitstone, Holsworthy, EX22 6TX
How it compares in Cornwall
In Cornwall, 85% of rated places manage a 5, so Spar sits behind roughly 4,461 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 4,461 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 522 | 10% | ← Spar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 212 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 42 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 38 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 51 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 Generally satisfactory
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitstone C P School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2025 |
| St Annes Residential Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 4 - Good | 10 October 2025 |
| Swannacott Manor Meats Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2017 |
| J & J Farmers Abattoir Retailers - other | 1.9 miles away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 4 March 2026 |
| The Old Orchard Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 2.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Chelsfield Farm - Stumble Inn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2026 |
Questions about Spar
What is Spar's food hygiene rating?
Spar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Cornwall Council on 22 August 2025.
Is Spar 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 Spar last inspected?
Spar was last inspected on 22 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cornwall Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spar compare to other places in Cornwall?
85% of the 5,277 rated food businesses in Cornwall hold the top rating of 5, while Spar holds a 4. 522 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cornwall 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.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cornwall inspects and rates 5,328 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cornwall →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cornwall.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 →