Darkroom Espresso food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Swindon
Darkroom Espresso holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 5 December 2025, 7 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: 54 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon, SN1 4BG
How it compares in Swindon
In Swindon, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Darkroom Espresso sits behind roughly 1,182 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,182 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 177 | 12% | ← Darkroom Espresso | |
| 3 out of 5 | 42 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 6 | <1% |
A further 208 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Darkroom Espresso 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 Darkroom Espresso, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bert's Books Takeaway/sandwich shop | 161 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2022 |
| Bath Road Methodist Church Luncheon Club Other catering premises | 216 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Atmosfera Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 264 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2024 |
| Abacus House Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Beehive Public House Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2022 |
| Cater Link Ltd (c/o Croft Primary School) School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
| Best Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2024 |
| Beenies Caribbean Cuisine Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2024 |
Questions about Darkroom Espresso
What is Darkroom Espresso's food hygiene rating?
Darkroom Espresso has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Swindon Council on 5 December 2025.
Is Darkroom Espresso 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Darkroom Espresso last inspected?
Darkroom Espresso was last inspected on 5 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swindon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Darkroom Espresso?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Darkroom Espresso compare to other places in Swindon?
83% of the 1,428 rated food businesses in Swindon hold the top rating of 5, while Darkroom Espresso holds a 4. 177 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swindon Council inspects Darkroom Espresso 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 Darkroom Espresso and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Darkroom Espresso is one of 127 rated food businesses in Old Town. See every hygiene rating in Old Town →
Swindon inspects and rates 1,636 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swindon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swindon.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 →