Food hygiene in London: Kensington and Chelsea to Waltham Forest - find out how your borough does

Kensington and Chelsea has the highest average food hygiene rating in London - and Waltham Forest has the lowest.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), in partnership with local authorities, rates restaurants and other food outlets from 0 (urgent improvement needed) to 5 (very good).

In a new report, online training provider High Speed Training has analysed the average in food hygiene rating in each borough. In Kensington and Chelsea, the average was 4.78, contrasting with 3.77 in Waltham Forest. Hounslow saw the highest average rating increase in London, improving its rating by 0.21 from 4.28 in 2022, to 4.49.

The report, which analysed FSA data for more than 218,000 food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, found that in the London area, the average food hygiene rating across all food establishments was 4.34 from over 34,000 premises - placing the region bottom of the regional rankings, below the West Midlands and the North West.

Under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) inspections are used to set ratings based on the standard of food handling hygiene, the physical condition of the premises and facilities and food safety management practices.

Food hygiene rating in London boroughs

High Speed Training

Dr Richard Anderson, head of learning and development at High Speed Training, said: “One of the biggest responsibilities as a food establishment is ensuring that food safety and hygiene practices are thorough and up to date. This is why it’s so important for customers to check FHRS ratings - they are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates.

“Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have slightly improved from 2022. For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, which ultimately have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.

“Correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to keep performing at high standards.

“And for those customers turning a blind eye when it comes to checking a hygiene rating, we would definitely urge you not to as ignorance isn’t always bliss. We would always recommend checking hygiene ratings before eating at an establishment so you can make an informed call as to whether you eat there.”

The full report is on High Speed Training’s website.

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