The Mermaid Fish Bar food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Hackney
The Mermaid Fish Bar holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the takeaway 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 28 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 189 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney, E5 8EG
How it compares in Hackney
In Hackney, 66% of rated places manage a 5, so The Mermaid Fish Bar sits behind roughly 1,470 nearby businesses. 19% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,470 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 422 | 19% | ← The Mermaid Fish Bar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 215 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 78 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 395 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Good
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 The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 The Mermaid Fish Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 119 Today Bread Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2026 |
| 107 Wine Shop & Bar Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 December 2023 |
| Accra Palace Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 December 2024 |
| AGBO SABA FOODS Cash & Carry Limited Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2024 |
| Adonis Supermarket Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 December 2024 |
| 46b Espresso Hut Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2025 |
| % Arabica Manufacturers/packers | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| AA Food Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2025 |
Questions about The Mermaid Fish Bar
What is The Mermaid Fish Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Mermaid Fish Bar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Hackney Council on 28 March 2024.
Is The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 takeaway to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Mermaid Fish Bar last inspected?
The Mermaid Fish Bar was last inspected on 28 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Hackney Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Mermaid Fish Bar?
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 The Mermaid Fish Bar compare to other places in Hackney?
66% of the 2,218 rated food businesses in Hackney hold the top rating of 5, while The Mermaid Fish Bar holds a 4. 422 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Hackney Council inspects The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 The Mermaid Fish Bar and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hackney inspects and rates 2,613 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Hackney →
The official record is held by the council: https://hackney.gov.uk/environmental-health#food
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 →