Friends Express (Solihull) food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Solihull
Friends Express (Solihull) holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 30 August 2024, 22 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 759 Old Lode Lane, Elmdon, Solihull, B92 8JE
How it compares in Solihull
In Solihull, 79% of rated places manage a 5, so Friends Express (Solihull) sits behind roughly 1,139 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 987 | 79% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 152 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 68 | 5% | ← Friends Express (Solihull) | |
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 138 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- 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 Friends Express (Solihull) 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 Friends Express (Solihull), nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best4 Vapes Retailers - other | 410 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| Asda Express Hobs Moat PFS Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Bloom Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Ardens Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Arden Oak Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 September 2023 |
| All U Need Is Cake Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2017 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2017 |
| B P Shopping Express Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2009 |
Questions about Friends Express (Solihull)
What is Friends Express (Solihull)'s food hygiene rating?
Friends Express (Solihull) has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Solihull Council on 30 August 2024.
Is Friends Express (Solihull) safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Friends Express (Solihull) last inspected?
Friends Express (Solihull) was last inspected on 30 August 2024, 22 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Solihull Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Friends Express (Solihull)?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", 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 Friends Express (Solihull) compare to other places in Solihull?
79% of the 1,257 rated food businesses in Solihull hold the top rating of 5, while Friends Express (Solihull) holds a 3. 68 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Solihull Council inspects Friends Express (Solihull) 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 Friends Express (Solihull) and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Friends Express (Solihull) is one of 37 rated food businesses in Elmdon. See every hygiene rating in Elmdon →
Solihull inspects and rates 1,395 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Solihull →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.solihull.gov.uk/environment-and-animals/food-safety
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 →