Village Off License food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Medway
Village Off License 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 19 July 2024, 23 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: 31 Luton High Street, Luton, Chatham, ME5 7LE
How it compares in Medway
A 1 is rare: only 24 of 1,964 rated places in Medway score this low, about one in 82. By contrast 80% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ← Village Off License | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 174 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 Village Off License 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 Village Off License, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown's Mini Mart Retailers - other | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
| Britannia Fsh Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2024 |
| Anchorians Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2025 |
| 4 Continents Stores Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2024 |
| Bill's Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2026 |
| Brasenose Club Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2024 |
| Boosta Vape And Shisha Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| Abacus Childrens Nursery Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
Questions about Village Off License
What is Village Off License's food hygiene rating?
Village Off License has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Medway Council on 19 July 2024.
Is Village Off License 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 Village Off License last inspected?
Village Off License was last inspected on 19 July 2024, 23 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Village Off License?
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 Village Off License compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, while Village Off License holds a 1. 24 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects Village Off License 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 Village Off License 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 Medway, 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: Medway
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Village Off License is one of 410 rated food businesses in Chatham. See every hygiene rating in Chatham →
Medway inspects and rates 2,138 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →