Boxford Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Babergh
Boxford Stores holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the shop requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 11 February 2026, 5 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: Boxford Stores And Post Office, 1 Swan Street, Boxford, CO10 5NZ
How it compares in Babergh
A 0 is rare: only 2 of 807 rated places in Babergh score this low, about one in 404. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 696 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 65 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 27 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← Boxford Stores |
A further 74 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Urgent 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 Boxford Stores the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and 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 Boxford Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Leeder Butchers Retailers - other | 23 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Village Stores Retailers - other | 23 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2024 |
| Sulu Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 154 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 October 2025 |
| The Fleece Pub/bar/nightclub | 175 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2025 |
| Franks Kitchen Mobile caterer | 186 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2025 |
| The Hub @ The Hart Pub/bar/nightclub | 222 yards away | 4 - Good | 11 July 2024 |
| Trokey's Treets Retailers - other | 388 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2022 |
| Heavens to Betsy Mobile caterer | 438 yards away | 4 - Good | 27 August 2025 |
Questions about Boxford Stores
What is Boxford Stores's food hygiene rating?
Boxford Stores has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Babergh Council on 11 February 2026.
Is Boxford Stores safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The shop may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Boxford Stores last inspected?
Boxford Stores was last inspected on 11 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Babergh Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Boxford Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "urgent improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Boxford Stores compare to other places in Babergh?
86% of the 807 rated food businesses in Babergh hold the top rating of 5, while Boxford Stores holds a 0. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Babergh Council inspects Boxford Stores 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 Boxford Stores 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 0 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 Babergh, 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: Babergh
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Boxford Stores is one of 308 rated food businesses in Sudbury. See every hygiene rating in Sudbury →
Babergh inspects and rates 881 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Babergh →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.babergh.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 →