XL Stop & Shop food hygiene rating

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 4 August 2017, more than 8 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: 1 Heath Lodge Square, BT13 3WG

How it compares in Belfast City

That puts XL Stop & Shop among the 2,117 places in Belfast City holding top marks, 73% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

A further 253 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 Good

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 XL Stop & Shop 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.

Understanding this rating

• How often are food businesses inspected? Higher-risk businesses are inspected more often, roughly every six months at the top of the scale, stretching to two years or more for low-risk premises. Inspections are unannounced, and a business that disagrees with its rating has 21 days to appeal.
• What does a 0 food hygiene rating mean? A 0 means the inspector found serious problems and urgent improvement is necessary. It is the lowest rating the scheme gives, but it is not a closure order, and a business with a 0 can, and usually does, keep trading while it puts things right.
• Does a low hygiene rating mean the food is unsafe? A low rating tells you that an inspector found problems on a particular day. It is not a measurement of the food, it is not a prediction, and it is not a verdict on whether you will get ill. It is the best single signal a member of the public has, and it is a snapshot.

More food hygiene ratings near here

Belfast City inspects and rates 3,172 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Belfast City →

The official record is held by the council: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buildingcontrol-environment/foodsafety/consumers-foodhygienescheme.aspx