St James Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Cheltenham
St James Store holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 10 April 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.
Address: 22 St James Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 2SH
How it compares in Cheltenham
A 2 is rare: only 2 of 1,019 rated places in Cheltenham score this low, about one in 510. 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 | 909 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 88 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 16 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← St James Store | |
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 59 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 St James Store the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. 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 St James Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Gold Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 141 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Bentleys Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 184 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2024 |
| Cambray Baptist Church Other catering premises | 277 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2025 |
| Art Union Retailers - other | 342 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2024 |
| Auntie Annes Retailers - other | 374 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2025 |
| Art Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 377 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Alfonso Gelateria Cheltenham Retailers - other | 405 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 August 2024 |
| Bao+bbq Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 408 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
Questions about St James Store
What is St James Store's food hygiene rating?
St James Store has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Cheltenham Council on 10 April 2024.
Is St James Store safe to eat at?
A 2 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 St James Store last inspected?
St James Store was last inspected on 10 April 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cheltenham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at St James Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does St James Store compare to other places in Cheltenham?
89% of the 1,019 rated food businesses in Cheltenham hold the top rating of 5, while St James Store holds a 2. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cheltenham Council inspects St James Store 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 St James Store 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 2 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 Cheltenham, 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: Cheltenham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cheltenham inspects and rates 1,078 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cheltenham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cheltenham.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 →