Forge Local Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Norwich City
Forge Local Shop 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 16 January 2025, 17 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: The Forge, 118 Philadelphia Lane, Norwich, NR3 3JJ
How it compares in Norwich City
A 1 is rare: only 2 of 1,363 rated places in Norwich City score this low, about one in 682. By contrast 65% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 891 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 331 | 24% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 116 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← Forge Local Shop | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 208 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Forge Local Shop the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and 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 Forge Local Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Road Infant & Nursey School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2023 |
| BestBargain Norwich Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 October 2023 |
| Bread Source Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2024 |
| Acorns After School Care School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2024 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Babas Kebabs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Anglia Culinary Suppliers Distributors/Transporters | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2025 |
Questions about Forge Local Shop
What is Forge Local Shop's food hygiene rating?
Forge Local Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Norwich City Council on 16 January 2025.
Is Forge Local Shop 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 Forge Local Shop last inspected?
Forge Local Shop was last inspected on 16 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Norwich City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Forge Local Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Forge Local Shop compare to other places in Norwich City?
65% of the 1,363 rated food businesses in Norwich City hold the top rating of 5, while Forge Local Shop holds a 1. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Norwich City Council inspects Forge Local Shop 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 Forge Local Shop 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 Norwich City, 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: Norwich City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Norwich City inspects and rates 1,571 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Norwich City →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.norwich.gov.uk/site/custom_scripts/eh/foodratings.html
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 →