Spar Essar food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Liverpool
Spar Essar holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the shop requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 29 April 2026, 2 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: 53 Sefton Street, Liverpool, L8 6UD
How it compares in Liverpool
A 0 is rare: only 38 of 3,381 rated places in Liverpool score this low, about one in 89. By contrast 67% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,273 | 67% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 528 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 331 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 123 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 88 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 38 | 1% | ← Spar Essar |
A further 1,145 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 Urgent 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 Spar Essar the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Spar Essar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic Market Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2021 |
| Arts Bar Baltic Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 August 2023 |
| 92 Degrees Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2023 |
| 24 Kitchen Street Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2020 |
| A Tavola Italian Deli Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2019 |
| Artefact Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2023 |
| Argyles Coffee and Wine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2019 |
| American Pizza Slice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2019 |
Questions about Spar Essar
What is Spar Essar's food hygiene rating?
Spar Essar has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Liverpool Council on 29 April 2026.
Is Spar Essar safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The shop may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Spar Essar last inspected?
Spar Essar was last inspected on 29 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Liverpool Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar Essar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "urgent 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 Spar Essar compare to other places in Liverpool?
67% of the 3,381 rated food businesses in Liverpool hold the top rating of 5, while Spar Essar holds a 0. 38 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Liverpool Council inspects Spar Essar 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 Spar Essar 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 0 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 Liverpool, 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: Liverpool
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Liverpool inspects and rates 4,526 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Liverpool →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.liverpool.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 →