Spice Hut food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Rochford
Spice Hut holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Spice Hut was inspected on 22 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 3% of rated food businesses in Rochford score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Rochford ratings →
Address: 59 Hullbridge Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 9NL
How this rating has changed
Spice Hut was re-inspected on 22 July 2026 and held its rating of 1.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 2026 | AwaitingInspection 1 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Rochford
A 1 is rare: only 14 of 581 rated places in Rochford score this low, about one in 42. By contrast 83% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 483 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 63 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 15 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 14 | 2% | ← Spice Hut | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 85 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- 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 Spice Hut the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Spice Hut, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downhall Primary School School/college/university | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2024 |
| Downhall Under Fives Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2025 |
| Fairview Under 5's School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2026 |
| Churchill's Fish & Chips/ Serial Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2025 |
| Cater Link Ltd School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| Edward Francis School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2016 |
| Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2025 |
| Bight Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2024 |
Questions about Spice Hut
What is Spice Hut's food hygiene rating?
Spice Hut has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Rochford Council on 22 July 2026.
Is Spice Hut safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 Spice Hut last inspected?
Spice Hut was last inspected on 22 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Rochford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spice Hut?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Spice Hut compare to other places in Rochford?
83% of the 581 rated food businesses in Rochford hold the top rating of 5, while Spice Hut holds a 1. 14 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Rochford Council inspects Spice Hut 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 Spice Hut 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 Rochford, 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: Rochford
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Spice Hut is one of 195 rated food businesses in Rayleigh. See every hygiene rating in Rayleigh →
Rochford inspects and rates 666 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Rochford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rochford.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 →