Poppy's Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Rochford
Poppy's Cafe holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 18 December 2025, 6 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: 21A Main Road, Hockley, Essex, SS5 4QY
How it compares in Rochford
A 1 is rare: only 12 of 591 rated places in Rochford score this low, about one in 49. By contrast 83% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 491 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 65 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 16 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 2% | ← Poppy's Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | 1% |
A further 106 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Poppy's Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled 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 Poppy's Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brick Lane Bagel Co Hockley Takeaway/sandwich shop | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| Chutney Club Takeaway/sandwich shop | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 125 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Grillzos Takeaway/sandwich shop | 232 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 December 2025 |
| Dominos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 251 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
| Butterflies Club C.I.C Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 252 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
| CJ's Bowling Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 322 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| Collect Coffee Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
Questions about Poppy's Cafe
What is Poppy's Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Poppy's Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Rochford Council on 18 December 2025.
Is Poppy's Cafe safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Poppy's Cafe last inspected?
Poppy's Cafe was last inspected on 18 December 2025, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Rochford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Poppy's Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Poppy's Cafe compare to other places in Rochford?
83% of the 591 rated food businesses in Rochford hold the top rating of 5, while Poppy's Cafe holds a 1. 12 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Rochford Council inspects Poppy's Cafe 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 Poppy's Cafe 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 Rochford, 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: Rochford
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Poppy's Cafe is one of 75 rated food businesses in Hockley. See every hygiene rating in Hockley →
Rochford inspects and rates 697 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Rochford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rochford.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 →