Old Mill Road Mini Market food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Uttlesford
Old Mill Road Mini Market 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 3 March 2026, 4 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: 28 Old Mill Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3ER
How it compares in Uttlesford
A 1 is rare: only 7 of 650 rated places in Uttlesford score this low, about one in 93. By contrast 90% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 583 | 90% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 43 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ← Old Mill Road Mini Market | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 159 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 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 Old Mill Road Mini Market the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled 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 Old Mill Road Mini Market, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Day Nursery School/college/university | 204 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Katherine Semar CP School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Meadows Montessori Day Nursery School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| RAB Late Play Club School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| Onion Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 August 2024 |
| Tesco Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| R A Butler Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| Highfield Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
Questions about Old Mill Road Mini Market
What is Old Mill Road Mini Market's food hygiene rating?
Old Mill Road Mini Market has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Uttlesford Council on 3 March 2026.
Is Old Mill Road Mini Market 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 Old Mill Road Mini Market last inspected?
Old Mill Road Mini Market was last inspected on 3 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Uttlesford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Mill Road Mini Market?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Old Mill Road Mini Market compare to other places in Uttlesford?
90% of the 650 rated food businesses in Uttlesford hold the top rating of 5, while Old Mill Road Mini Market holds a 1. 7 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Uttlesford Council inspects Old Mill Road Mini Market 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 Old Mill Road Mini Market 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 Uttlesford, 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: Uttlesford
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Mill Road Mini Market is one of 212 rated food businesses in Saffron Walden. See every hygiene rating in Saffron Walden →
Uttlesford inspects and rates 809 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Uttlesford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.uttlesford.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 →