Spark food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Harrow
Spark holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 21 January 2025, 17 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: 125 Headstone Road, Harrow, HA1 1PG
How it compares in Harrow
A 2 is rare: only 63 of 1,551 rated places in Harrow score this low, about one in 25. By contrast 61% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 951 | 61% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 358 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 147 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 63 | 4% | ← Spark | |
| 1 out of 5 | 27 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 332 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Spark the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Spark, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJ Pizza's Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2025 |
| Auntie Anne's Mobile caterer | 323 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Ahsaan Burger Makrroryan Kabul Zibaa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 336 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
| B&M Retail Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 365 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2024 |
| Amigos Bar Services Limited Pub/bar/nightclub | 365 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2026 |
| Alpha Preparatory School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2023 |
| Better Food Mood Distributors/Transporters | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2024 |
| Ancona Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
Questions about Spark
What is Spark's food hygiene rating?
Spark has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Harrow Council on 21 January 2025.
Is Spark safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Spark last inspected?
Spark was last inspected on 21 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harrow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spark?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spark compare to other places in Harrow?
61% of the 1,551 rated food businesses in Harrow hold the top rating of 5, while Spark holds a 2. 63 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Harrow Council inspects Spark 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 Spark 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 2 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 Harrow, 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: Harrow
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harrow inspects and rates 1,883 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harrow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harrow.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 →