ZamZam Sweets food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Derby City
ZamZam Sweets holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the business and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 8 October 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: 5 Lower Dale Road, Derby, DE23 6WY
How it compares in Derby City
A 1 is rare: only 28 of 1,976 rated places in Derby City score this low, about one in 71. By contrast 73% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,447 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 297 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 164 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ← ZamZam Sweets | |
| 0 out of 5 | 12 | 1% |
A further 315 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 ZamZam Sweets 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 ZamZam Sweets, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismallah Family Butcher Retailers - other | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2024 |
| Arboretum Primary School School/college/university | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2024 |
| Akbar and Sons Retailers - other | 382 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2024 |
| Alternatives Activity Centre Other catering premises | 439 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| Athenian Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Akbar Meat & Poultry Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 March 2024 |
| Arboretum Park Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2024 |
| Alter-Rock Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2024 |
Questions about ZamZam Sweets
What is ZamZam Sweets's food hygiene rating?
ZamZam Sweets has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Derby City Council on 8 October 2025.
Is ZamZam Sweets safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The business 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 ZamZam Sweets last inspected?
ZamZam Sweets was last inspected on 8 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Derby City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at ZamZam Sweets?
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 ZamZam Sweets compare to other places in Derby City?
73% of the 1,976 rated food businesses in Derby City hold the top rating of 5, while ZamZam Sweets holds a 1. 28 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Derby City Council inspects ZamZam Sweets 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 ZamZam Sweets 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 Derby 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: Derby City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Derby City inspects and rates 2,291 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Derby City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.derby.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 →