The Tropical Food Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Portsmouth
The Tropical Food Store holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 7 August 2025, 11 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: 161 Fratton Road, Portsmouth, PO1 5ET
How it compares in Portsmouth
A 1 is rare: only 53 of 1,534 rated places in Portsmouth score this low, about one in 29. By contrast 64% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 978 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 310 | 20% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 124 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 67 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 53 | 3% | ← The Tropical Food Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 269 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Tropical Food Store 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 The Tropical Food Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anwar's Indian Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 273 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 279 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2026 |
| Cafe Victory Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2026 |
| Active Me 360 CIC School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 April 2026 |
| Cafe Victory At Landport Community Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2026 |
| Café Local - Fratton Railway Station Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2025 |
| Ark Dickens Primary Academy School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
| Ark Ayrton Primary Academy School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 June 2026 |
Questions about The Tropical Food Store
What is The Tropical Food Store's food hygiene rating?
The Tropical Food Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Portsmouth Council on 7 August 2025.
Is The Tropical Food Store safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 The Tropical Food Store last inspected?
The Tropical Food Store was last inspected on 7 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Portsmouth Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Tropical Food Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 The Tropical Food Store compare to other places in Portsmouth?
64% of the 1,534 rated food businesses in Portsmouth hold the top rating of 5, while The Tropical Food Store holds a 1. 53 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Portsmouth Council inspects The Tropical Food Store 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 The Tropical Food Store 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 Portsmouth, 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: Portsmouth
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Portsmouth inspects and rates 1,803 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Portsmouth →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.portsmouth.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 →