Howbury Friends food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Bexley
Howbury Friends holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 22 September 2025, 9 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: St Augustines Church Hall, Slade Green Road, Erith, DA8 2HX
How it compares in Bexley
That puts Howbury Friends among the 1,154 places in Bexley holding top marks, 71% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,154 | 71% | ← Howbury Friends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 267 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 140 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 36 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 150 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Howbury Friends 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 Howbury Friends, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aroma Baristas Mobile caterer | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2023 |
| Angels Catering And Events Other catering premises | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Afishionados Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 June 2026 |
| Beijing Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Booker Wholesale Distributors/Transporters | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 July 2024 |
| Bexley Snap Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2024 |
Questions about Howbury Friends
What is Howbury Friends's food hygiene rating?
Howbury Friends has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Bexley Council on 22 September 2025.
Is Howbury Friends safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Howbury Friends last inspected?
Howbury Friends was last inspected on 22 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bexley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Howbury Friends?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Howbury Friends compare to other places in Bexley?
71% of the 1,616 rated food businesses in Bexley hold the top rating of 5, and Howbury Friends is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Bexley Council inspects Howbury Friends 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 Howbury Friends 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Howbury Friends is one of 212 rated food businesses in Erith. See every hygiene rating in Erith →
Bexley inspects and rates 1,766 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bexley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bexley.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 →