5

The Chocolate Box food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · Canterbury City

The Chocolate Box 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 21 December 2023, 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: 53 - 55 Old Bridge Road, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1RB

How it compares in Canterbury City

That puts The Chocolate Box among the 1,161 places in Canterbury City holding top marks, 78% 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.

Every rated food business in Canterbury City
5 out of 5 1,161 78% ← The Chocolate Box
4 out of 5 185 12%
3 out of 5 120 8%
2 out of 5 14 1%
1 out of 5 2 <1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 166 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 The Chocolate Box 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 The Chocolate Box, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Choochoos Day Nursery Caring Premises 76 yards away 5 - Very good 19 October 2022
Bon Bon Cakes Farmers/growers 266 yards away 5 - Very good 7 August 2025
Evangelical Church Hall Caring Premises 407 yards away 5 - Very good 24 March 2026
Kindergarten Kids Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 23 October 2025
Labour Club Pub/bar/nightclub 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 25 November 2025
Kakawa Artisan Chocolate & Co Ltd Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 17 September 2024
British Legion Social Centre Pub/bar/nightclub 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 26 April 2018
Inclusive Sport (After School Club) School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 5 February 2025

Questions about The Chocolate Box

What is The Chocolate Box's food hygiene rating?

The Chocolate Box has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Canterbury City Council on 21 December 2023.

Is The Chocolate Box 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 The Chocolate Box last inspected?

The Chocolate Box was last inspected on 21 December 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Chocolate Box?

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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Chocolate Box compare to other places in Canterbury City?

78% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, and The Chocolate Box is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Canterbury City Council inspects The Chocolate Box 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 The Chocolate Box and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Chocolate Box is one of 294 rated food businesses in Whitstable. See every hygiene rating in Whitstable

Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,649 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City

The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →