American Candy Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Colchester
American Candy Shop 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 14 October 2024, 21 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: 1A St Botolphs Street, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7DX
How it compares in Colchester
A 1 is rare: only 9 of 1,335 rated places in Colchester score this low, about one in 148. By contrast 89% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,191 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 82 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ← American Candy Shop | |
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- 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 American Candy Shop the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises 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 American Candy Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aburi Japanese Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 25 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| 90 Minutes Restaurant & Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| Choice Foods Retailers - other | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 December 2020 |
| Bridgeway Ministry Retailers - other | 123 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2022 |
| Aunties Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 July 2025 |
| Buzz Bingo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Chicago's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2025 |
| ChinaTown Colchester Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 202 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2024 |
Questions about American Candy Shop
What is American Candy Shop's food hygiene rating?
American Candy Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Colchester Council on 14 October 2024.
Is American Candy Shop 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 American Candy Shop last inspected?
American Candy Shop was last inspected on 14 October 2024, 21 months 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 American Candy Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", 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 American Candy Shop compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,335 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, while American Candy Shop holds a 1. 9 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects American Candy Shop 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 American Candy Shop 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 Colchester, 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: Colchester
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 →