The Potting Shed food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Chelmsford
The Potting Shed holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 10 October 2025, 9 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: West View, Main Road, Bicknacre, CM3 4HN
How it compares in Chelmsford
In Chelmsford, 92% of rated places manage a 5, so The Potting Shed sits behind roughly 1,343 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,343 | 92% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 86 | 6% | ← The Potting Shed | |
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 143 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 The Potting Shed 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 The Potting Shed, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Futures Essex School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| St Marys C Of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2024 |
| Eastham Caring Premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
Questions about The Potting Shed
What is The Potting Shed's food hygiene rating?
The Potting Shed has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Chelmsford Council on 10 October 2025.
Is The Potting Shed 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Potting Shed last inspected?
The Potting Shed was last inspected on 10 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Chelmsford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Potting Shed?
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 The Potting Shed compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,463 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, while The Potting Shed holds a 4. 86 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects The Potting Shed 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 The Potting Shed and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Chelmsford inspects and rates 1,606 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Chelmsford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.chelmsford.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 →