Southcote Newsagency food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Reading
Southcote Newsagency 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 10 November 2025, 8 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: 6 Southcote Parade, Reading, RG30 3DT
How it compares in Reading
In Reading, 65% of rated places manage a 5, so Southcote Newsagency sits behind roughly 881 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 881 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ← Southcote Newsagency | |
| 3 out of 5 | 148 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 155 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 Very 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 Southcote Newsagency 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 Southcote Newsagency, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Alive at Grange United Reform Church Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2018 |
| Beacher Hall Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| Berkeley Garden Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Beesknees Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society Maitland House Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Asda Superstore Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
| Amherst Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 November 2017 |
Questions about Southcote Newsagency
What is Southcote Newsagency's food hygiene rating?
Southcote Newsagency has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Reading Council on 10 November 2025.
Is Southcote Newsagency 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 Southcote Newsagency last inspected?
Southcote Newsagency was last inspected on 10 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reading Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Southcote Newsagency?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Southcote Newsagency compare to other places in Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while Southcote Newsagency holds a 4. 248 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading Council inspects Southcote Newsagency 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 Southcote Newsagency and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Reading inspects and rates 1,517 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reading →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reading.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 →