Grain Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Medway
Grain Store 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 12 June 2025, 12 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: 42 Chapel Road, Isle Of Grain, Rochester, ME3 0BZ
How it compares in Medway
A 1 is rare: only 24 of 1,964 rated places in Medway score this low, about one in 82. By contrast 80% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ← Grain Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 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 Grain Store the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Grain Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzies Plaice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 17 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| The Hogarth Inn (Grain) Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 257 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2025 |
| Co-Op & Post Office Retailers - other | 264 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Baxtor Storey Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 September 2025 |
Questions about Grain Store
What is Grain Store's food hygiene rating?
Grain Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Medway Council on 12 June 2025.
Is Grain Store 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 Grain Store last inspected?
Grain Store was last inspected on 12 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Grain Store?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Grain Store compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, while Grain Store holds a 1. 24 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects Grain Store 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 Grain Store 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 Medway, 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: Medway
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Grain Store is one of 531 rated food businesses in Rochester. See every hygiene rating in Rochester →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →