Hilltop Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · East Hampshire
Hilltop 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 25 April 2025, 14 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: 17 Lipscombe Rise Alton GU34 2HR, GU34 2HR
How it compares in East Hampshire
In East Hampshire, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so Hilltop Stores sits behind roughly 803 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 803 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 120 | 13% | ← Hilltop Stores | |
| 3 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 88 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 Hilltop 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 Hilltop Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aramark Ltd at Alton College School/college/university | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2024 |
| Bushy Leaze Children & Families Centre Caring Premises | 328 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Caterlink @ Antsey Junior School School/college/university | 328 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Alton Football Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| Alton Rugby Football Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2023 |
| Manny's Coffee Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Tesco Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2014 |
| Caterlink @ Wootey Infant & Junior School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
Questions about Hilltop Stores
What is Hilltop Stores's food hygiene rating?
Hilltop Stores has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Hampshire Council on 25 April 2025.
Is Hilltop 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 Hilltop Stores last inspected?
Hilltop Stores was last inspected on 25 April 2025, 14 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hampshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hilltop 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 Hilltop Stores compare to other places in East Hampshire?
84% of the 958 rated food businesses in East Hampshire hold the top rating of 5, while Hilltop Stores holds a 4. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Hampshire Council inspects Hilltop 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 Hilltop 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
East Hampshire inspects and rates 1,046 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hampshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.easthants.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 →