Food City food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Waltham Forest
Food City 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 31 December 2024, 18 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: Ground Floor 164 High Road Leyton, Stratford, E15 2BX
How it compares in Waltham Forest
A 1 is rare: only 131 of 1,865 rated places in Waltham Forest score this low, about one in 14. By contrast 51% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ← Food City | |
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Food City the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and 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 Food City, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adagio Aparthotel Stratford Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2021 |
| A&S Grocers Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2024 |
| 4Degrees C Ltd Distributors/Transporters | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2025 |
| Albert & Francis Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Appetite London Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2024 |
| 7 in One Wine Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2025 |
| Adeza Care Homes Ltd Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 February 2025 |
| All Star Lanes - Unit LC01 (Bowling Alley) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 August 2024 |
Questions about Food City
What is Food City's food hygiene rating?
Food City has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Waltham Forest Council on 31 December 2024.
Is Food City 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 Food City last inspected?
Food City was last inspected on 31 December 2024, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Food City?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Food City compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while Food City holds a 1. 131 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects Food City 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 Food City 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 Waltham Forest, 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: Waltham Forest
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Food City is one of 35 rated food businesses in Stratford. See every hygiene rating in Stratford →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →