Swalemill Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Swale
Swalemill Butchers holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 26 January 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: Sittingbourne Retail Park, Mill Way, Sittingbourne, ME10 2XD
How it compares in Swale
In Swale, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Swalemill Butchers sits behind roughly 1,123 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 989 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ← Swalemill Butchers | |
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 40 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Swalemill Butchers 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 Swalemill Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currys Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 August 2024 |
| Asda Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 197 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 246 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2025 |
| Home Bargains Retailers - other | 246 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2018 |
| Fountain Of Ale Pub/bar/nightclub | 342 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2023 |
| Active Play Nursery Ltd Caring Premises | 349 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| Big Boys Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 398 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
Questions about Swalemill Butchers
What is Swalemill Butchers's food hygiene rating?
Swalemill Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Swale Council on 26 January 2026.
Is Swalemill Butchers safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Swalemill Butchers last inspected?
Swalemill Butchers was last inspected on 26 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Swalemill Butchers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Swalemill Butchers compare to other places in Swale?
83% of the 1,186 rated food businesses in Swale hold the top rating of 5, while Swalemill Butchers holds a 3. 41 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swale Council inspects Swalemill Butchers 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 Swalemill Butchers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Swalemill Butchers is one of 298 rated food businesses in Sittingbourne. See every hygiene rating in Sittingbourne →
Swale inspects and rates 1,226 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swale.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 →