4

High Oaks News food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · St Albans City

High Oaks News 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 5 February 2025, 17 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: 16 High Oaks, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DL

How it compares in St Albans City

In St Albans City, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so High Oaks News sits behind roughly 818 nearby businesses. 15% of the borough shares its 4.

Every rated food business in St Albans City
5 out of 5 818 77%
4 out of 5 157 15% ← High Oaks News
3 out of 5 63 6%
2 out of 5 10 1%
1 out of 5 10 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 High Oaks News 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 High Oaks News, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Chef Express also t/a Korea Town, High Oaks Peri Takeaway/sandwich shop 39 yards away 5 - Very good 23 December 2025
Batchwood School Catering School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 15 October 2024
Banana Moon Day Nursery Caring Premises 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 14 October 2025
Alban Manor Nursing Home Caring Premises 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 12 March 2026
Batchwood Hall Golf Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 18 September 2025
ABC-XYZ Childcare @ Bernards Heath Juniors Caring Premises 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 26 April 2024
Batchwood Hall Bowls Club Pub/bar/nightclub 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 3 July 2024
Busy Bees @ St Albans City Hospital Caring Premises 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 18 December 2024

Questions about High Oaks News

What is High Oaks News's food hygiene rating?

High Oaks News has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by St Albans City Council on 5 February 2025.

Is High Oaks News 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 High Oaks News last inspected?

High Oaks News was last inspected on 5 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at High Oaks News?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does High Oaks News compare to other places in St Albans City?

77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, while High Oaks News holds a 4. 157 places in the area share that rating.

Who decides the rating?

St Albans City Council inspects High Oaks News 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 High Oaks News 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City

The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx

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 →