VG Merchants food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Dacorum
VG Merchants holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 23 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: 489 London Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 9BE
How it compares in Dacorum
In Dacorum, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so VG Merchants sits behind roughly 864 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 864 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 192 | 17% | ← VG Merchants | |
| 3 out of 5 | 55 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 137 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 VG Merchants 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 VG Merchants, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxmoor Village Store Retailers - other | 386 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2023 |
| Boxmoor Social Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 399 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| Boxmoor Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Boxmoor Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 November 2024 |
| Boxmoor Preschool Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Boxmoor Lodge Hotel Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2026 |
| Charlie's Catering Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Boxmoor Hall Pre-School Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2023 |
Questions about VG Merchants
What is VG Merchants's food hygiene rating?
VG Merchants has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Dacorum Council on 23 February 2026.
Is VG Merchants safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was VG Merchants last inspected?
VG Merchants was last inspected on 23 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dacorum Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at VG Merchants?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does VG Merchants compare to other places in Dacorum?
77% of the 1,123 rated food businesses in Dacorum hold the top rating of 5, while VG Merchants holds a 4. 192 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dacorum Council inspects VG Merchants 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 VG Merchants 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
VG Merchants is one of 634 rated food businesses in Hemel Hempstead. See every hygiene rating in Hemel Hempstead →
Dacorum inspects and rates 1,260 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dacorum →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dacorum.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 →