Walthambury Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Chelmsford
Walthambury Stores holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 August 2025, 11 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: Barrack Lane, Great Waltham, Chelmsford, CM3 1ET
How it compares in Chelmsford
A 1 is rare: only 9 of 1,447 rated places in Chelmsford score this low, about one in 161. By contrast 92% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,327 | 92% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 86 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ← Walthambury Stores | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 153 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Walthambury Stores the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. 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 Walthambury Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beehive Pub/bar/nightclub | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| The Royal British Legion Hall Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2024 |
| The Stores Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2024 |
| Great Waltham C Of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2025 |
| Premier Sports Coach Solutions School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Great Waltham Village Hall Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Up Up And Away Preschool Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Great Waltham Cricket Club Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 24 April 2025 |
Questions about Walthambury Stores
What is Walthambury Stores's food hygiene rating?
Walthambury Stores has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Chelmsford Council on 13 August 2025.
Is Walthambury Stores safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Walthambury Stores last inspected?
Walthambury Stores was last inspected on 13 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Chelmsford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Walthambury Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Walthambury Stores compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,447 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, while Walthambury Stores holds a 1. 9 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects Walthambury Stores 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 Walthambury Stores 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 1 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 Chelmsford, 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: Chelmsford
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Chelmsford inspects and rates 1,600 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Chelmsford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.chelmsford.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 →