Spar food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Colchester
Spar holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: Spar was inspected on 3 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 60 Maldon Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3AG
How it compares in Colchester
In Colchester, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so Spar sits behind roughly 1,191 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,191 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 82 | 6% | ← Spar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 296 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Spar 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 Spar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 223 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2023 |
| China Chef Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Bella's Takeaway/sandwich shop | 293 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Bon Appetit Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 299 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Bull Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 322 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2025 |
| Chef Canton Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 333 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Church Street Tavern Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 440 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Bella-Pais Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
Questions about Spar
What is Spar's food hygiene rating?
Spar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Colchester Council on 3 June 2026.
Is Spar safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Spar last inspected?
Spar was last inspected on 3 June 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spar compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,335 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, while Spar holds a 4. 82 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Spar 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 Spar and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,631 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.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 →