Niki Convenience Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Reading
Niki Convenience Store holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the shop requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 16 October 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: 177-179 Whitley Wood Lane, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 8PW
How it compares in Reading
A 0 is rare: only 5 of 1,362 rated places in Reading score this low, about one in 272. By contrast 65% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 881 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 148 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ← Niki Convenience Store |
A further 155 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- 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 Niki Convenience Store the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Niki Convenience Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylesbury, Chiltern & South Bucks Sports & Social Club Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2023 |
| Accent Catering at Geoffrey Field Infant & Junior School Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Caterlink at Christ The King RC Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2026 |
| Aya's Home Kitchen Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| Budgens Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 January 2026 |
| Caterlink at Aldergrove C of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Caterlink at The Ridgeway Primary School School/college/university | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Cafe No. 1 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
Questions about Niki Convenience Store
What is Niki Convenience Store's food hygiene rating?
Niki Convenience Store has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Reading Council on 16 October 2025.
Is Niki Convenience Store safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The shop may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Niki Convenience Store last inspected?
Niki Convenience Store was last inspected on 16 October 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 Niki Convenience Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", 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 Niki Convenience Store compare to other places in Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while Niki Convenience Store holds a 0. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading Council inspects Niki 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 Niki Convenience Store 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 0 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 Reading, 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: Reading
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 →