Sweet News food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Southend-On-Sea
Sweet News holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop 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 3 February 2025, 17 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: 1454 London Road, Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, SS9 2UW
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
In Southend-On-Sea, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so Sweet News sits behind roughly 973 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ← Sweet News | |
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ||
| 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 Very good
- 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 Sweet News 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 Sweet News, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bite N Eat Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Bake Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 350 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
| Belfairs Academy School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2025 |
| Abbeyfield St Margarets (AVOCET) Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Beauleigh Court Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Belfairs Woodland Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2024 |
| Cavell Lodge Rest Home Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2026 |
| Boatyard Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
Questions about Sweet News
What is Sweet News's food hygiene rating?
Sweet News has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 3 February 2025.
Is Sweet News 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 shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Sweet News last inspected?
Sweet News was last inspected on 3 February 2025, 17 months 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 Sweet News?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", 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 Sweet News 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 Sweet News holds a 4. 243 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects Sweet News 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 Sweet News 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sweet News is one of 275 rated food businesses in Leigh-on-Sea. See every hygiene rating in Leigh-on-Sea →
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 →