Spar food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Birmingham
Spar holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the takeaway requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 22 January 2026, 7 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.
Only 10% of rated food businesses in Birmingham score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Birmingham ratings →
Address: 13-15 Islington Row, Birmingham, B15 1LA
How this rating has changed
Spar was re-inspected on 22 January 2026 and held its rating of 0.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 January 2026 | AwaitingInspection 0 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Birmingham
A 0 is rare: only 95 of 8,561 rated places in Birmingham score this low, about one in 90. By contrast 65% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 5,554 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,369 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 766 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 370 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 407 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 95 | 1% | ← Spar |
A further 1,660 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 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 Spar the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Spar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Bar One Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 August 2026 |
| Anchor Trust Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| AC Hotel Birmingham Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2022 |
| 3 Arena Central - HMRC Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2024 |
| Albert's Schloss Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2025 |
| 5th Floor Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Admiral Other catering premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2025 |
| 200 Degrees Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2026 |
Questions about Spar
What is Spar's food hygiene rating?
Spar has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Birmingham Council on 22 January 2026.
Is Spar safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The takeaway may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Spar last inspected?
Spar was last inspected on 22 January 2026, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Birmingham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Spar compare to other places in Birmingham?
65% of the 8,561 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, while Spar holds a 0. 95 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham 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.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 0 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 Birmingham, 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: Birmingham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Birmingham inspects and rates 10,221 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Birmingham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/environmental-health
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 →