Shortlands Road Newsagents food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Swale
Shortlands Road Newsagents 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 11 November 2019, more than 6 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 125 Shortlands Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3JU
How it compares in Swale
In Swale, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Shortlands Road Newsagents sits behind roughly 989 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 989 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 11% | ← Shortlands Road Newsagents | |
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 40 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 Shortlands Road Newsagents 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 Shortlands Road Newsagents, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris' Convenience Store Retailers - other | 166 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2023 |
| Goldilocks Nursery Caring Premises | 281 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| A2 Off Licence Retailers - other | 287 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2022 |
| Haylee Music Studio Pub/bar/nightclub | 320 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| Francombs Sandwich Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Entree Food Academy Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 371 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2024 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2021 |
| Flame Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2025 |
Questions about Shortlands Road Newsagents
What is Shortlands Road Newsagents's food hygiene rating?
Shortlands Road Newsagents has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Swale Council on 11 November 2019.
Is Shortlands Road Newsagents 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 Shortlands Road Newsagents last inspected?
Shortlands Road Newsagents was last inspected on 11 November 2019, more than 6 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Shortlands Road Newsagents?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Shortlands Road Newsagents compare to other places in Swale?
83% of the 1,186 rated food businesses in Swale hold the top rating of 5, while Shortlands Road Newsagents holds a 4. 134 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swale Council inspects Shortlands Road Newsagents 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 Shortlands Road Newsagents and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Shortlands Road Newsagents is one of 298 rated food businesses in Sittingbourne. See every hygiene rating in Sittingbourne →
Swale inspects and rates 1,226 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swale.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 →