Spar food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Reading
Spar holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 8 October 2024, 21 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: 12 Spey Road, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4DG
How it compares in Reading
In Reading, 65% of rated places manage a 5, so Spar sits behind roughly 1,129 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 881 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 148 | 11% | ← Spar | |
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 155 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 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 Spar 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 Spar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3B's Cafe Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| Asda Superstore Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
| Butts Today's Local Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 July 2024 |
| 7 Rifles Reading Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| Berkshire Meat Traders Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| Cafe Alive at Grange United Reform Church Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2018 |
| Beesknees Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Caterlink at Manor Primary School School/college/university | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 April 2025 |
Questions about Spar
What is Spar's food hygiene rating?
Spar has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Reading Council on 8 October 2024.
Is Spar safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Spar last inspected?
Spar was last inspected on 8 October 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reading Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Spar compare to other places in Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while Spar holds a 3. 148 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading Council inspects Spar 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 Spar 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
Spar is one of 82 rated food businesses in Tilehurst. See every hygiene rating in Tilehurst →
Reading inspects and rates 1,517 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reading →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reading.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 →