College Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Birmingham
College Stores 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 18 August 2025, 10 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: 31 College Road, Springfield, Birmingham, B13 9LS
How it compares in Birmingham
A 1 is rare: only 387 of 8,171 rated places in Birmingham score this low, about one in 21. By contrast 66% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 5,380 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,309 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 695 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 318 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 387 | 5% | ← College Stores | |
| 0 out of 5 | 82 | 1% |
A further 1,866 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 Good
- 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 College Stores the inspector recorded concerns over 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 College Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambala Retailers - other | 119 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Al Halal Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 268 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2021 |
| Al Halal Meat Shop Retailers - other | 304 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 May 2022 |
| Akg Soda Center Other catering premises | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2025 |
| Apple Green Service Station Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2019 |
| 5Akhis Hallgreen Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Accomplish Group Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2024 |
| A&R Newsagents Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
Questions about College Stores
What is College Stores's food hygiene rating?
College Stores has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Birmingham Council on 18 August 2025.
Is College Stores 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 College Stores last inspected?
College Stores was last inspected on 18 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Birmingham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at College Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 College Stores compare to other places in Birmingham?
66% of the 8,171 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, while College Stores holds a 1. 387 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham Council inspects College Stores 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 College Stores 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 Birmingham, 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: Birmingham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
College Stores is one of 151 rated food businesses in Springfield. See every hygiene rating in Springfield →
Birmingham inspects and rates 10,037 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Birmingham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/environmental-health
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 →