W H Smith food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · South Cambridgeshire
W H Smith holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 27 November 2024, 19 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: Cambridge Services Huntingdon Road, Boxworth, CB23 4WU
How it compares in South Cambridgeshire
That puts W H Smith among the 1,063 places in South Cambridgeshire holding top marks, 87% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,063 | 87% | ← W H Smith | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 119 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 96 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 W H Smith 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 W H Smith, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopstix Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2024 |
| Fresh Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| German Doner Kebab Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2025 |
| KFC Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2026 |
| Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 19 April 2024 |
| McDonald's Restaurants Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2024 |
| Moto Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Ramada Cambridge Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | at this address | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2026 |
Questions about W H Smith
What is W H Smith's food hygiene rating?
W H Smith has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Cambridgeshire Council on 27 November 2024.
Is W H Smith safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was W H Smith last inspected?
W H Smith was last inspected on 27 November 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Cambridgeshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at W H Smith?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does W H Smith compare to other places in South Cambridgeshire?
87% of the 1,220 rated food businesses in South Cambridgeshire hold the top rating of 5, and W H Smith is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
South Cambridgeshire Council inspects W H Smith 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 W H Smith and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Cambridgeshire inspects and rates 1,316 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Cambridgeshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.scambs.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 →