China Garden food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Southampton
China Garden holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 10 June 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.
Only 3% of rated food businesses in Southampton score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Southampton ratings →
Address: 56 Romsey Road, Southampton, SO16 4DB
How this rating has changed
China Garden has gone backwards: it held a 3 before its inspection on 10 June 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 10 June 2026 | 3 1 | Worse |
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 Southampton
A 1 is rare: only 22 of 1,491 rated places in Southampton score this low, about one in 68. By contrast 69% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,028 | 69% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 269 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 147 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ← China Garden | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 214 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 China Garden 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 China Garden, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe aroma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 May 2026 |
| Ashwood Rest Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2026 |
| Best One Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2018 |
| Brasileiro Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 November 2024 |
| Bright Water Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 June 2026 |
| BAT Co Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2019 |
| Abacus Event Catering Mobile caterer | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Amira Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2025 |
Questions about China Garden
What is China Garden's food hygiene rating?
China Garden has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Southampton Council on 10 June 2026.
Is China Garden safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 China Garden last inspected?
China Garden was last inspected on 10 June 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southampton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at China Garden?
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 China Garden compare to other places in Southampton?
69% of the 1,491 rated food businesses in Southampton hold the top rating of 5, while China Garden holds a 1. 22 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southampton Council inspects China Garden 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 China Garden 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 Southampton, 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: Southampton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southampton inspects and rates 1,705 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southampton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southampton.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 →