Southern Spice food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Cheshire West and Chester
Southern Spice holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the business and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 3 July 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
How it compares in Cheshire West and Chester
A 1 is rare: only 37 of 2,666 rated places in Cheshire West and Chester score this low, about one in 72. By contrast 80% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,137 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 312 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 146 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 32 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 37 | 1% | ← Southern Spice | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 307 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- 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 Southern Spice the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Questions about Southern Spice
What is Southern Spice's food hygiene rating?
Southern Spice has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cheshire West and Chester Council on 3 July 2024.
Is Southern Spice safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The business 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 Southern Spice last inspected?
Southern Spice was last inspected on 3 July 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cheshire West and Chester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Southern Spice?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", 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 Southern Spice compare to other places in Cheshire West and Chester?
80% of the 2,666 rated food businesses in Cheshire West and Chester hold the top rating of 5, while Southern Spice holds a 1. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cheshire West and Chester Council inspects Southern Spice 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 Southern Spice 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 Cheshire West and Chester, 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: Cheshire West and Chester
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cheshire West and Chester inspects and rates 2,973 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cheshire West and Chester →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cheshirewestandchester.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 →