Liberty African Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Hertsmere
Liberty African Shop 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 9 December 2025, 7 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: 142 Aycliffe Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 4DY
How it compares in Hertsmere
A 1 is rare: only 13 of 719 rated places in Hertsmere score this low, about one in 55. By contrast 81% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 582 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 90 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ← Liberty African Shop | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 122 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 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 Liberty African Shop the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Liberty African Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borehamwood Tandoori Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2024 |
| Green Dragon Pub/bar/nightclub | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2019 |
| Cacao Catering And Event Other catering premises | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2026 |
| Bakerfull Retailers - other | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Borehamwood Multipurpose Day Centre Caring Premises | 228 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2025 |
| Chatter Table Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 387 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 November 2023 |
| Curri.Co.UK Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
| Co-Operative Group (CWS) Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2025 |
Questions about Liberty African Shop
What is Liberty African Shop's food hygiene rating?
Liberty African Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Hertsmere Council on 9 December 2025.
Is Liberty African Shop 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 Liberty African Shop last inspected?
Liberty African Shop was last inspected on 9 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Hertsmere Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Liberty African Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Liberty African Shop compare to other places in Hertsmere?
81% of the 719 rated food businesses in Hertsmere hold the top rating of 5, while Liberty African Shop holds a 1. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Hertsmere Council inspects Liberty African Shop 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 Liberty African Shop 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 Hertsmere, 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: Hertsmere
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Liberty African Shop is one of 243 rated food businesses in Borehamwood. See every hygiene rating in Borehamwood →
Hertsmere inspects and rates 841 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Hertsmere →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.hertsmere.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 →