Southdene Newsagents food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Knowsley
Southdene Newsagents holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 12 February 2026, 5 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: 7 Broad Lane, Kirkby, Knowsley, L32 6QA
How it compares in Knowsley
A 1 is rare: only 21 of 690 rated places in Knowsley score this low, about one in 33. By contrast 66% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 452 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 40 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 41 | 6% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 3% | ← Southdene Newsagents | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 122 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 Major 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 Southdene Newsagents the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Southdene Newsagents, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explorers Kirkby School/college/university | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Activate CES Caring Premises | 415 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| Bluebell Park School/college/university | 432 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| Fryer Tucks Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2025 |
| Activate Arts Ltd School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Coffee Wagon Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Kirkby Day Nursery And Preschool Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Fans Supporting Foodbanks Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2024 |
Questions about Southdene Newsagents
What is Southdene Newsagents's food hygiene rating?
Southdene Newsagents has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Knowsley Council on 12 February 2026.
Is Southdene Newsagents safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Southdene Newsagents last inspected?
Southdene Newsagents was last inspected on 12 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Knowsley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Southdene Newsagents?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major 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 Southdene Newsagents compare to other places in Knowsley?
66% of the 690 rated food businesses in Knowsley hold the top rating of 5, while Southdene Newsagents holds a 1. 21 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Knowsley Council inspects Southdene Newsagents 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 Southdene Newsagents 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 Knowsley, 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: Knowsley
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southdene Newsagents is one of 133 rated food businesses in Kirkby. See every hygiene rating in Kirkby →
Knowsley inspects and rates 812 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Knowsley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.knowsley.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 →