Essential Convenience Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Dartford
Essential Convenience Store 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 17 April 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: 56 Spital Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2DT
How it compares in Dartford
In Dartford, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so Essential Convenience Store sits behind roughly 713 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 713 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 131 | 14% | ← Essential Convenience Store | |
| 3 out of 5 | 53 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 153 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Essential Convenience Store 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 Essential Convenience Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aces Express Retailers - other | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2025 |
| Bobo & Cha Takeaway/sandwich shop | 274 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2025 |
| Afro Veg N More (Greengrocers) Retailers - other | 318 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2023 |
| Asda Living - The Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 375 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2024 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 394 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| Bargain Buys Retailers - other | 394 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2025 |
| Circle CP Retailers - other | 423 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2025 |
Questions about Essential Convenience Store
What is Essential Convenience Store's food hygiene rating?
Essential Convenience Store has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Dartford Council on 17 April 2024.
Is Essential Convenience Store 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 Essential Convenience Store last inspected?
Essential Convenience Store was last inspected on 17 April 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dartford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Essential Convenience Store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Essential Convenience Store compare to other places in Dartford?
77% of the 923 rated food businesses in Dartford hold the top rating of 5, while Essential Convenience Store holds a 4. 131 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dartford Council inspects Essential Convenience 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 Essential Convenience Store and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dartford inspects and rates 1,076 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dartford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dartford.gov.uk/foodsafety/index.htm
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 →