London Colney Butchers and Grocers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · St Albans City
London Colney Butchers and Grocers holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 24 March 2026, 3 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: 162 High Street, London Colney, Hertfordshire, AL2 1QF
How it compares in St Albans City
A 1 is rare: only 10 of 1,058 rated places in St Albans City score this low, about one in 106. By contrast 77% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ← London Colney Butchers and Grocers | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 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 London Colney Butchers and Grocers the inspector recorded concerns over 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 London Colney Butchers and Grocers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Food London Colney Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2025 |
| Carmelos Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 194 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| A1 Newsagent London Colney Retailers - other | 200 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 August 2025 |
| Bowmansgreen Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
Questions about London Colney Butchers and Grocers
What is London Colney Butchers and Grocers's food hygiene rating?
London Colney Butchers and Grocers has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by St Albans City Council on 24 March 2026.
Is London Colney Butchers and Grocers safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 London Colney Butchers and Grocers last inspected?
London Colney Butchers and Grocers was last inspected on 24 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at London Colney Butchers and Grocers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 London Colney Butchers and Grocers compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, while London Colney Butchers and Grocers holds a 1. 10 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects London Colney Butchers and Grocers 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 London Colney Butchers and Grocers 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 St Albans 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: St Albans City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
London Colney Butchers and Grocers is one of 56 rated food businesses in London Colney. See every hygiene rating in London Colney →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →