Essex Food Centre food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Southend-On-Sea
Essex Food Centre 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
This rating dates from 19 June 2024, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: 488 - 490 London Road, Westcliff-On-Sea, Essex, SS0 9LD
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
In Southend-On-Sea, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so Essex Food Centre sits behind roughly 1,216 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ← Essex Food Centre | |
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 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 Essex Food Centre 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 Essex Food Centre, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anke's Tea And Coffee Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 107 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Alston Court Caring Premises | 214 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Cake Box Southend Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2025 |
| Care In Style Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2024 |
| ABI News Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| Be My Guest Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2024 |
| Astral Lodge Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 August 2025 |
| Britannia Lodge Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2025 |
Questions about Essex Food Centre
What is Essex Food Centre's food hygiene rating?
Essex Food Centre has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 19 June 2024.
Is Essex Food Centre 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 Essex Food Centre last inspected?
Essex Food Centre was last inspected on 19 June 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Essex Food Centre?
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 Essex Food Centre compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, while Essex Food Centre holds a 3. 119 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects Essex Food Centre 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 Essex Food Centre and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Essex Food Centre is one of 324 rated food businesses in Westcliff-on-Sea. See every hygiene rating in Westcliff-on-Sea →
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.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 →