Ethen's Mini Mart food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Cumberland
Ethen's Mini Mart 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 3 March 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: 31 King Street, Whitehaven, Cumbria
How it compares in Cumberland
A 1 is rare: only 13 of 2,490 rated places in Cumberland score this low, about one in 192. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,087 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 285 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ← Ethen's Mini Mart | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 258 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 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 Ethen's Mini Mart the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Ethen's Mini Mart, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe West Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2024 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
| Haighs Manufacturers/packers | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| Georgian House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2024 |
| Cross's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 November 2023 |
| Grandma's Pantry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| K Kinsella & Daughters Ltd Retailers - other | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2023 |
Questions about Ethen's Mini Mart
What is Ethen's Mini Mart's food hygiene rating?
Ethen's Mini Mart has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cumberland Council on 3 March 2026.
Is Ethen's Mini Mart 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 Ethen's Mini Mart last inspected?
Ethen's Mini Mart was last inspected on 3 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Ethen's Mini Mart?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Ethen's Mini Mart compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, while Ethen's Mini Mart holds a 1. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects Ethen's Mini Mart 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 Ethen's Mini Mart 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 Cumberland, 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: Cumberland
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Ethen's Mini Mart is one of 207 rated food businesses in Whitehaven. See every hygiene rating in Whitehaven →
Cumberland inspects and rates 2,748 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cumberland.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 →