Spar Above Bar Street food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Southampton
Spar Above Bar Street 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 8 March 2025, 16 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: 128 Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DU
How it compares in Southampton
In Southampton, 68% of rated places manage a 5, so Spar Above Bar Street sits behind roughly 1,016 nearby businesses. 19% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,016 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 278 | 19% | ← Spar Above Bar Street | |
| 3 out of 5 | 146 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 218 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 Good
- 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 Spar Above Bar Street 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 Spar Above Bar Street, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium & Blues Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2024 |
| Bar 104 Pub/bar/nightclub | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 August 2024 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Above Bar Church Other catering premises | 258 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2024 |
| British Broadcasting Corporation Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 332 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 May 2019 |
| Boots The Chemists Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2019 |
| 7 Days Pizza and Chicken Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
| Bagel Factory Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 July 2024 |
Questions about Spar Above Bar Street
What is Spar Above Bar Street's food hygiene rating?
Spar Above Bar Street has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Southampton Council on 8 March 2025.
Is Spar Above Bar Street 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 Spar Above Bar Street last inspected?
Spar Above Bar Street was last inspected on 8 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southampton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar Above Bar Street?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spar Above Bar Street compare to other places in Southampton?
68% of the 1,486 rated food businesses in Southampton hold the top rating of 5, while Spar Above Bar Street holds a 4. 278 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southampton Council inspects Spar Above Bar Street 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 Spar Above Bar Street and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southampton inspects and rates 1,704 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southampton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southampton.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 →