Higgins & Sons Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Derry City and Strabane
Higgins & Sons Butchers 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 4 September 2025, 10 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: 1 Rossdowney Park, Clooney, Londonderry, BT47 5NR
How it compares in Derry City and Strabane
In Derry City and Strabane, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so Higgins & Sons Butchers sits behind roughly 924 nearby businesses. 19% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 924 | 76% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 225 | 19% | ← Higgins & Sons Butchers | |
| 3 out of 5 | 60 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 127 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 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 Higgins & Sons Butchers 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 Higgins & Sons Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridies Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
| Adult Respite Facility (Cottages) Caring Premises | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
| Beechway House Caring Premises | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 August 2024 |
| Children's Respite Cottage Caring Premises | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
| Bravo Cafe Bar - Waterside Theatre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 May 2023 |
| Chapel Road Community Playgroup Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Baptist Church Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2024 |
| Age Concern Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 July 2025 |
Questions about Higgins & Sons Butchers
What is Higgins & Sons Butchers's food hygiene rating?
Higgins & Sons Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Derry City and Strabane Council on 4 September 2025.
Is Higgins & Sons Butchers 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 Higgins & Sons Butchers last inspected?
Higgins & Sons Butchers was last inspected on 4 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Derry City and Strabane Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Higgins & Sons Butchers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Higgins & Sons Butchers compare to other places in Derry City and Strabane?
76% of the 1,215 rated food businesses in Derry City and Strabane hold the top rating of 5, while Higgins & Sons Butchers holds a 4. 225 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Derry City and Strabane Council inspects Higgins & Sons Butchers 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 Higgins & Sons Butchers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Higgins & Sons Butchers is one of 821 rated food businesses in Londonderry. See every hygiene rating in Londonderry →
Derry City and Strabane inspects and rates 1,342 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Derry City and Strabane →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.derrystrabane.com
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 →