Spice Essence food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Westmorland and Furness
Spice Essence holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 18 March 2025, 15 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: 50 Main Street, LA6 2AJ
How it compares in Westmorland and Furness
A 2 is rare: only 17 of 2,771 rated places in Westmorland and Furness score this low, about one in 163. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,390 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 269 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 86 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ← Spice Essence | |
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 387 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Spice Essence the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Spice Essence, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number Forty Four Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Lunesdale Bakery Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 8 October 2025 |
| Wildflower Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| The Rustic Loaf Takeaway/sandwich shop | 13 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
| The Cottage Deli Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 10 February 2026 |
| Avanti Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Bella Pizzeria & Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| Snooty Fox Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
Questions about Spice Essence
What is Spice Essence's food hygiene rating?
Spice Essence has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Westmorland and Furness Council on 18 March 2025.
Is Spice Essence safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Spice Essence last inspected?
Spice Essence was last inspected on 18 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Westmorland and Furness Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spice Essence?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spice Essence compare to other places in Westmorland and Furness?
86% of the 2,771 rated food businesses in Westmorland and Furness hold the top rating of 5, while Spice Essence holds a 2. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Westmorland and Furness Council inspects Spice Essence 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 Spice Essence 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 2 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 Westmorland and Furness, 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: Westmorland and Furness
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Spice Essence is one of 50 rated food businesses in Kirkby Lonsdale. See every hygiene rating in Kirkby Lonsdale →
Westmorland and Furness inspects and rates 3,158 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Westmorland and Furness →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.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 →