Lenham Village Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Maidstone
Lenham Village Stores holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Lenham Village Stores was inspected on 17 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Maidstone score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Maidstone ratings →
Address: The Stores, The Square, Lenham, ME17 2PG
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near Lenham Village Stores
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
Lenham Village Stores was re-inspected on 17 July 2026 and held its rating of 2.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 17 July 2026 | AwaitingInspection 2 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Maidstone
A 2 is rare: only 11 of 1,386 rated places in Maidstone score this low, about one in 126. 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 | 1,147 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 158 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 57 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ← Lenham Village Stores | |
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 66 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Lenham Village Stores the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Lenham Village Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bow Window Cafe And Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 August 2026 |
| The Dog And Bear Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| The Red Lion Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 4 - Good | 19 November 2025 |
| Saxon Warrior Pharmacy Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Cornerhouse Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 August 2026 |
| The Square Fish Cafe Takeaway/sandwich shop | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 13 October 2025 |
| Home Bake Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 11 March 2026 |
| End Of The Rainbow Food Station Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2023 |
Questions about Lenham Village Stores
What is Lenham Village Stores's food hygiene rating?
Lenham Village Stores has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Maidstone Council on 17 July 2026.
Is Lenham Village Stores safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Lenham Village Stores last inspected?
Lenham Village Stores was last inspected on 17 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Lenham Village Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Lenham Village Stores compare to other places in Maidstone?
83% of the 1,386 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, while Lenham Village Stores holds a 2. 11 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects Lenham Village Stores 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 Lenham Village Stores 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 2 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 Maidstone, 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: Maidstone
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lenham Village Stores is one of 19 rated food businesses in Lenham. See every hygiene rating in Lenham →
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.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 →