A G Smith Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Chelmsford
A G Smith Butchers 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
This is a fresh result: A G Smith Butchers was inspected on 10 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 1% of rated food businesses in Chelmsford score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Chelmsford ratings →
Address: Butchers Shop, Plantation Road, Boreham, CM3 3DZ
How this rating has changed
A G Smith Butchers has gone backwards: it held a 4 before its inspection on 10 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 10 July 2026 | 4 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Chelmsford
A 1 is rare: only 10 of 1,456 rated places in Chelmsford score this low, about one in 146. By contrast 92% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,335 | 92% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 84 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ← A G Smith Butchers | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 144 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 A G Smith Butchers the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled 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 A G Smith Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boreham Sports & Social Club Other catering premises | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Six Bells Pub/bar/nightclub | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Co-op Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 August 2026 |
| Peacock Schools Catering Ltd School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Queens Head Boreham Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| Nurture Den School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
| Scout & Guide Hut Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| Boreham Post Office And Convenient Stores Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2025 |
Questions about A G Smith Butchers
What is A G Smith Butchers's food hygiene rating?
A G Smith Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Chelmsford Council on 10 July 2026.
Is A G Smith Butchers 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 A G Smith Butchers last inspected?
A G Smith Butchers was last inspected on 10 July 2026, a month 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 A G Smith Butchers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 A G Smith Butchers compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,456 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, while A G Smith Butchers holds a 1. 10 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects A G Smith Butchers 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 A G Smith Butchers 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 Chelmsford, 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: Chelmsford
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
A G Smith Butchers is one of 24 rated food businesses in Boreham. See every hygiene rating in Boreham →
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 →