Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · St Albans City
Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 30 October 2025, 8 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.
Address: Townsend Service Station, 17 Luton Road, Harpenden, AL5 2UA
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect among the 818 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 77% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ← Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect 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 Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| Old Cock Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Connect Catering Ltd catering @ St Hilda's School School/college/university | 354 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Harpenden Luton Road Day Nursery Caring Premises | 366 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| COOK Retailers - other | 410 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
| HCL Catering @ St Nicholas C of E V A Primary School/college/university | 415 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2025 |
| Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2023 |
| Harpenden Day Nursery and Preschool Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
Questions about Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect
What is Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect's food hygiene rating?
Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 30 October 2025.
Is Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect last inspected?
Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect was last inspected on 30 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect 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 Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Townsend Simply Food / BP Connect is one of 193 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →