WH Smith food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Hillingdon
WH Smith holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 12 January 2015, more than 11 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Commercial Unit A3 Terminal 2 The Queen's Terminal Arrivals Level, Inner Ring East, TW6 1EW
How it compares in Hillingdon
In Hillingdon, 64% of rated places manage a 5, so WH Smith sits behind roughly 1,285 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,285 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 356 | 18% | ← WH Smith | |
| 3 out of 5 | 202 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 48 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 100 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 16 | 1% |
A further 226 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- 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 WH Smith 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 WH Smith, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Terminal 2B Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2025 |
| Black Sheep Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 287 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2023 |
| Aerotel London (landside) Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2025 |
| American Airlines Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 July 2023 |
| American Airlines Arrivals Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 February 2010 |
| British Airways First Class and Club Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2022 |
| Cafe Chi Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 December 2025 |
| Amadeus The Hub Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
Questions about WH Smith
What is WH Smith's food hygiene rating?
WH Smith has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Hillingdon Council on 12 January 2015.
Is WH Smith safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was WH Smith last inspected?
WH Smith was last inspected on 12 January 2015, more than 11 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Hillingdon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at WH Smith?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does WH Smith compare to other places in Hillingdon?
64% of the 2,007 rated food businesses in Hillingdon hold the top rating of 5, while WH Smith holds a 4. 356 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Hillingdon Council inspects WH Smith 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 WH Smith and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
WH Smith is one of 152 rated food businesses in London Heathrow Airport. See every hygiene rating in London Heathrow Airport →
Hillingdon inspects and rates 2,233 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Hillingdon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/foodsafety
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 →