Sam's Convenience Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Blackburn
Sam's Convenience Store holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 15 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 5 Starkie Street, Darwen, BB3 2BU
How it compares in Blackburn
In Blackburn, 69% of rated places manage a 5, so Sam's Convenience Store sits behind roughly 874 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 738 | 69% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 136 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 84 | 8% | ← Sam's Convenience Store | |
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 5% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 66 | 6% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 233 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 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 Sam's Convenience Store 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 Sam's Convenience Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edmund Street Off Licence Retailers - other | 370 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 August 2022 |
| Marshmallows Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Marsh House Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Inspira Care Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 August 2023 |
| Carla's Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2022 |
| Kidsland Limited Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2024 |
| Lees Cantonese Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
| Caterlink @Sudell Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 July 2026 |
Questions about Sam's Convenience Store
What is Sam's Convenience Store's food hygiene rating?
Sam's Convenience Store has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Blackburn Council on 15 May 2024.
Is Sam's Convenience Store safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Sam's Convenience Store last inspected?
Sam's Convenience Store was last inspected on 15 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Blackburn Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Sam's Convenience Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Sam's Convenience Store compare to other places in Blackburn?
69% of the 1,076 rated food businesses in Blackburn hold the top rating of 5, while Sam's Convenience Store holds a 3. 84 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Blackburn Council inspects Sam's Convenience Store 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 Sam's Convenience Store and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sam's Convenience Store is one of 1,179 rated food businesses in Blackburn With Darwen. See every hygiene rating in Blackburn With Darwen →
Blackburn inspects and rates 1,309 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Blackburn →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.blackburn.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 →