Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · North Hertfordshire
Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop 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 18 October 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: 18A High Street, Hitchin, SG5 1AT
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
In North Hertfordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop sits behind roughly 789 nearby businesses. 15% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 789 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ← Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop | |
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Mr Simms Olde Sweet 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.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greggs The Bakers Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2025 |
| Groundworks Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 28 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
| Bombay Bite Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Hitchin Information Retailers - other | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2024 |
| Esquires Hitchin Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2026 |
| Fabios Gelato Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 84 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
| Hatter's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2025 |
| Delizia Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 123 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2024 |
Questions about Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop
What is Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop's food hygiene rating?
Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 18 October 2017.
Is Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop 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 Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop last inspected?
Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop was last inspected on 18 October 2017, more than 8 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop holds a 4. 155 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop 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 Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop is one of 307 rated food businesses in Hitchin. See every hygiene rating in Hitchin →
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,120 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →