Harlow International Youth Hostel food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Harlow
Harlow International Youth Hostel holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the hotel and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 27 February 2026, 4 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: 13 School Lane, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2QD
How it compares in Harlow
A 1 is rare: only 5 of 611 rated places in Harlow score this low, about one in 122. 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 | 497 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 78 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ← Harlow International Youth Hostel | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 76 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- 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 Harlow International Youth Hostel the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Harlow International Youth Hostel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgermaster - Mobile Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2024 |
| Caffe La Vita Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| B&M Store Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| Burnt Mill Academy School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Banana Moon Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2026 |
| Currys Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Cineworld Cinemas Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2026 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 August 2021 |
Questions about Harlow International Youth Hostel
What is Harlow International Youth Hostel's food hygiene rating?
Harlow International Youth Hostel has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Harlow Council on 27 February 2026.
Is Harlow International Youth Hostel safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The hotel 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 Harlow International Youth Hostel last inspected?
Harlow International Youth Hostel was last inspected on 27 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harlow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Harlow International Youth Hostel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", 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 Harlow International Youth Hostel compare to other places in Harlow?
81% of the 611 rated food businesses in Harlow hold the top rating of 5, while Harlow International Youth Hostel holds a 1. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Harlow Council inspects Harlow International Youth Hostel 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 Harlow International Youth Hostel 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 Harlow, 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: Harlow
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harlow inspects and rates 687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harlow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harlow.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 →