The Spice Empire food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Shropshire
The Spice Empire holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 17 March 2026, 3 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: 17 High Street, Cleobury Mortimer, DY14 8DG
How it compares in Shropshire
A 1 is rare: only 9 of 2,862 rated places in Shropshire score this low, about one in 318. By contrast 88% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,513 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 222 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 86 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ← The Spice Empire | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 249 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 Major 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 Spice Empire 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 Spice Empire, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamp Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 14 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2024 |
| Ashley’s Bakery Retailers - other | 24 yards away | 4 - Good | 7 October 2025 |
| Gourmet San Takeaway/sandwich shop | 41 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 9 July 2025 |
| The Nook Retailers - other | 44 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Talbot Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 59 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 12 November 2025 |
| Londis Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 61 yards away | 4 - Good | 28 January 2026 |
| The Stable Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Mortimer Plaice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 83 yards away | 4 - Good | 20 August 2025 |
Questions about The Spice Empire
What is The Spice Empire's food hygiene rating?
The Spice Empire has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Shropshire Council on 17 March 2026.
Is The Spice Empire safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Spice Empire last inspected?
The Spice Empire was last inspected on 17 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Shropshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Spice Empire?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major 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 Spice Empire compare to other places in Shropshire?
88% of the 2,862 rated food businesses in Shropshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Spice Empire holds a 1. 9 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Shropshire Council inspects The Spice Empire 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 Spice Empire 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 Shropshire, 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: Shropshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Spice Empire is one of 35 rated food businesses in Cleobury Mortimer. See every hygiene rating in Cleobury Mortimer →
Shropshire inspects and rates 3,111 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Shropshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/foodhygienescheme
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 →