The Charing Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Ashford
The Charing Stores holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 16 February 2026, 4 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: 4 High Street, Charing, TN27 0HU
How it compares in Ashford
In Ashford, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so The Charing Stores sits behind roughly 1,039 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,039 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 90 | 8% | ← The Charing Stores | |
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 106 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 Good
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 Charing Stores 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 Charing Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Charing Bar Company Limited Pub/bar/nightclub | 34 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
| G, M & M Johns Family Butchers Retailers - other | 163 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Wady & Brett Retailers - other | 190 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 October 2016 |
| Care 4 Kids Nursery and Afterschool School/college/university | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2014 |
| The Pavilion Pantry Other catering premises | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Charing Bowls Club Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| Jasmine House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2025 |
| Northdown Service Station Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2021 |
Questions about The Charing Stores
What is The Charing Stores's food hygiene rating?
The Charing Stores has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Ashford Council on 16 February 2026.
Is The Charing Stores safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Charing Stores last inspected?
The Charing Stores was last inspected on 16 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ashford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Charing Stores?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Charing Stores compare to other places in Ashford?
89% of the 1,162 rated food businesses in Ashford hold the top rating of 5, while The Charing Stores holds a 4. 90 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ashford Council inspects The Charing 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 The Charing Stores 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 Charing Stores is one of 20 rated food businesses in Charing. See every hygiene rating in Charing →
Ashford inspects and rates 1,268 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ashford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ashford.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 →