Merlin Butcher and Grocery food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Havering
Merlin Butcher and Grocery holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 19 February 2026, 4 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: 163 Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1UR
How it compares in Havering
In Havering, 72% of rated places manage a 5, so Merlin Butcher and Grocery sits behind roughly 1,509 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,179 | 72% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 330 | 20% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 84 | 5% | ← Merlin Butcher and Grocery | |
| 2 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 32 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 393 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Merlin Butcher and Grocery 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 Merlin Butcher and Grocery, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asda Express Hornchurch – North Street PFS Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| Ashgrove Residential Home Caring Premises | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Bento Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Boots Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Bimssfood Ltd Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2025 |
| Ashling House Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| Arnaud Lodge Pre School Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2024 |
| Atlantis BBQ and Fish Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
Questions about Merlin Butcher and Grocery
What is Merlin Butcher and Grocery's food hygiene rating?
Merlin Butcher and Grocery has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Havering Council on 19 February 2026.
Is Merlin Butcher and Grocery safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Merlin Butcher and Grocery last inspected?
Merlin Butcher and Grocery was last inspected on 19 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Havering Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Merlin Butcher and Grocery?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Merlin Butcher and Grocery compare to other places in Havering?
72% of the 1,647 rated food businesses in Havering hold the top rating of 5, while Merlin Butcher and Grocery holds a 3. 84 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Havering Council inspects Merlin Butcher and Grocery 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 Merlin Butcher and Grocery and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Merlin Butcher and Grocery is one of 345 rated food businesses in Hornchurch. See every hygiene rating in Hornchurch →
Havering inspects and rates 2,040 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Havering →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.havering.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 →