5

Spar food hygiene rating

Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Mid Ulster

Spar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the supermarket met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 21 March 2024, more than 2 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: 19-21 Main Street, Castledawson, BT45 8AA

How it compares in Mid Ulster

That puts Spar among the 1,133 places in Mid Ulster holding top marks, 89% 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.

Every rated food business in Mid Ulster
5 out of 5 1,133 89% ← Spar
4 out of 5 110 9%
3 out of 5 19 1%
2 out of 5 10 1%
1 out of 5 5 <1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 90 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Spar 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 Spar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Corner Bar Pub/bar/nightclub at this address 5 - Very good 14 January 2026
Dawsons Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen at this address 5 - Very good 31 May 2024
Happy Garden Takeaway/sandwich shop at this address 5 - Very good 22 March 2024
Hotel Bar Castledawson Pub/bar/nightclub at this address 5 - Very good 19 May 2023
Castledawson Primary School Meals Kitchen School/college/university 34 yards away 5 - Very good 24 February 2026
Ditty's (Castledawson) Ltd Manufacturers/packers 34 yards away 5 - Very good 24 March 2026
R Mawhinney And Son Retailers - other 34 yards away 5 - Very good 14 January 2026
Jackson's Of Castledawson Retailers - other 120 yards away 5 - Very good 5 October 2023

Questions about Spar

What is Spar's food hygiene rating?

Spar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Mid Ulster Council on 21 March 2024.

Is Spar safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this supermarket to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Spar last inspected?

Spar was last inspected on 21 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid Ulster Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Spar?

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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Spar compare to other places in Mid Ulster?

89% of the 1,277 rated food businesses in Mid Ulster hold the top rating of 5, and Spar is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Mid Ulster Council inspects Spar 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 Spar 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Spar is one of 435 rated food businesses in Co. Londonderry. See every hygiene rating in Co. Londonderry

Mid Ulster inspects and rates 1,367 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid Ulster

The official record is held by the council: http://www.midulstercouncil.org

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 →