Van Looys food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Southend-On-Sea
Van Looys holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The takeaway met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
This is a fresh result: Van Looys was inspected on 13 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Van Looy's Fish And Chips, 16 Clifftown Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1AB
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
In Southend-On-Sea, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so Van Looys sits behind roughly 1,216 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ← Van Looys | |
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Van Looys 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 Van Looys, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big News Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2025 |
| Aroma Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2025 |
| Atrium Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 135 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 November 2025 |
| Aloha Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2025 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 September 2022 |
| BB's Coffee And Muffins Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 351 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 353 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2022 |
| Big News 5 Retailers - other | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2024 |
Questions about Van Looys
What is Van Looys's food hygiene rating?
Van Looys has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 13 May 2026.
Is Van Looys safe to eat at?
A 3 means the takeaway met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Van Looys last inspected?
Van Looys was last inspected on 13 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Van Looys?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Van Looys compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, while Van Looys holds a 3. 119 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects Van Looys 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 Van Looys and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.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 →