Swales food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Chelmsford
Swales holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 22 August 2024, 22 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Stall K19B, Retail Market, Cornhill, CM1 1XE
How it compares in Chelmsford
That puts Swales among the 1,327 places in Chelmsford holding top marks, 92% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,327 | 92% | ← Swales | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 86 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 153 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Swales 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 Swales, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baan Noodle Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Caribbean Flavours Other catering premises | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Bark And Ember Retailers - other | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Bubbles Bar Caring Premises | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
| A Batch From Home Retailers - other | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
| Banana Tree / What's Your Katsu /Mimis Thai Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Baptist Church Other catering premises | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 November 2025 |
Questions about Swales
What is Swales's food hygiene rating?
Swales has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Chelmsford Council on 22 August 2024.
Is Swales safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Swales last inspected?
Swales was last inspected on 22 August 2024, 22 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Chelmsford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Swales?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Swales compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,447 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, and Swales is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects Swales 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 Swales and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Chelmsford inspects and rates 1,600 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Chelmsford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.chelmsford.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 →