HygieneCheck
2

Central Cafe food hygiene rating

Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Sandwell

Central Cafe holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.

The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary

This is a fresh result: Central Cafe was inspected on 13 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.

Address: 31 High Street, Cradley Heath, B64 5HL

How it compares in Sandwell

A 2 is rare: only 41 of 2,350 rated places in Sandwell score this low, about one in 57. By contrast 66% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.

Every rated food business in Sandwell
5 1,561 66%
4 513 22%
3 168 7%
2 41 2% ← Central Cafe
1 56 2%
0 11 <1%

A further 326 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Central Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.

What the business says

&lt;p&gt; I agree with the inspection results but have since carried out the following improvements&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Establishment has been thoroughly cleaned and procedures are in place to ensure that cleanliness is maintained&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Staff have been trained/retrained/given instruction under reviewed supervisory arrangements&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Paintwork has been done; new equipment and new utensils have been brought.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The conditions found at the time of the inspection were not typical of the normal conditions maintained the establishment and arose because - Had some staffing issues day before the inspection so clearly was not done properly place has been deep cleaned now&lt;/p&gt;

Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.

Food hygiene ratings nearby

The closest food businesses to Central Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Brew Monkey Retailers - other 64 yards away 5 - Very good 10 January 2018
A & E Market Retailers - other 97 yards away 5 - Very good 8 November 2025
Bakers Kitchen Manufacturers/packers 105 yards away 5 - Very good 31 August 2024
Bennetts Reggae Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 183 yards away 5 - Very good 12 January 2024
Black Country Buffets Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 7 March 2025
Bamyet Afro Caribbean Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 22 February 2025
Ashgrove Care Home Limited Caring Premises 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 14 August 2025
AIP C/O Netherbrook Primary School School/college/university 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 20 November 2025

Questions about Central Cafe

What is Central Cafe's food hygiene rating?

Central Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Sandwell Council on 13 May 2026.

Is Central Cafe safe to eat at?

A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Central Cafe last inspected?

Central Cafe was last inspected on 13 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sandwell Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Central Cafe?

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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Central Cafe compare to other places in Sandwell?

66% of the 2,350 rated food businesses in Sandwell hold the top rating of 5, while Central Cafe holds a 2. 41 places in the area share that rating.

Has Central Cafe responded to its rating?

Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. Central Cafe said: “&lt;p&gt; I agree with the inspection results but have since carried out the following improvements&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Establishment has been thoroughly cleaned and procedures are in place to ensure that cleanliness is maintained&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Staff have been trained/retrained/given instruction under reviewed supervisory arrangements&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Paintwork has been done; new equipment and new utensils have been brought.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The conditions found at the time of the inspection were not typical of the normal conditions maintained the establishment and arose because - Had some staffing issues day before the inspection so clearly was not done properly place has been deep cleaned now&lt;/p&gt;”

Who decides the rating?

Sandwell Council inspects Central Cafe 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 Central Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Is this your business?

A rating of 2 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 Sandwell, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:

What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →

Your council: Sandwell

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Central Cafe is one of 146 rated food businesses in Cradley Heath. See every hygiene rating in Cradley Heath →

Sandwell inspects and rates 2,676 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sandwell →

The official record is held by the council: http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/foodratings

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 →