Spar Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Westmorland and Furness
Spar Shop 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 28 January 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: 37 Sandylands Road, LA9 6EU
How it compares in Westmorland and Furness
A 1 is rare: only 9 of 2,771 rated places in Westmorland and Furness score this low, about one in 308. 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% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ← Spar Shop | |
| 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Spar Shop the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Spar Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke of Cumberland Pub/bar/nightclub | 163 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Far Cross Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Harrys Pantry Takeaway/sandwich shop | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Kendal Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2026 |
| Ann House Care Home with Nursing Caring Premises | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 January 2024 |
| Castle Inn (Kendal) Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2022 |
| Eastern Balti Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 406 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 February 2024 |
| Kendal Museum Retailers - other | 429 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2023 |
Questions about Spar Shop
What is Spar Shop's food hygiene rating?
Spar Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Westmorland and Furness Council on 28 January 2026.
Is Spar Shop 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 Spar Shop last inspected?
Spar Shop was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 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 Spar Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Spar Shop 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 Spar Shop holds a 1. 9 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Westmorland and Furness Council inspects Spar Shop 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 Spar Shop 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 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
Spar Shop is one of 314 rated food businesses in Kendal. See every hygiene rating in Kendal →
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 →