HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School food hygiene rating
School/college/university · St Albans City
HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the school kitchen met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 27 March 2026, 3 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 Church of England School Townsend C, Sparrowswick Ride, St Albans, AL3 6DR
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School 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% | ← HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Very 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 HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School 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 HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef Express also t/a Korea Town, High Oaks Peri Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 December 2025 |
| Batchwood School Catering School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| Batchwood Hall Bowls Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2024 |
| Batchwood Hall Golf Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Banana Moon Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Alban Manor Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Busy Bees @ St Albans City Hospital Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2024 |
| ABC-XYZ Childcare @ Bernards Heath Juniors Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2024 |
Questions about HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School
What is HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School's food hygiene rating?
HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 27 March 2026.
Is HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School 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 school kitchen to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School last inspected?
HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School was last inspected on 27 March 2026, 3 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 HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School 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 HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School 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 HCL Catering @ Townsend CofE School and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →