Tapas Revolution at Bluewater, rated 1 in July, now holds a 5. A Watling Street shop was rated 1, and 24 Dartford premises got the top mark in all.
Tapas Revolution at Bluewater has gone from a food hygiene rating of 1 to the top mark of 5.
The restaurant, at Unit SVU06 on the Upper Plaza, was rated 1 after an inspection on 20 July. A 1 means “major improvement necessary”. We reported that result in our September roundup. Its new rating of 5, “very good”, is dated 13 October (Food Standards Agency: Tapas Revolution).
We read the Food Standards Agency register on 1 November for every premises in the Dartford Borough Council area. These are the results that have reached it since our last roundup on 10 October. Some are September inspections that were published late.
One shop rated 1
K&R Convenience Store, 253 Watling Street, Dartford, DA2 6EG, was given a rating of 1 after an inspection on 22 September (Food Standards Agency: K&R Convenience Store).
| Area inspected | Standard found |
|---|---|
| Hygienic food handling | Improvement necessary |
| Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building | Generally satisfactory |
| Management of food safety | Major improvement necessary |
Management of food safety covers the checks a business has in place and whether the inspector is confident standards will be kept up. It is the area that pulled the rating down. The register shows no comment from the business. Every business has a right to reply, and can ask for a re-inspection once it has made improvements.
Three 3s and a 4
These September results also reached the register after our last report:
| Business | Address | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Kebab | 55 High Street, Swanscombe | 3 | 22 September |
| The Ivy Leaf (pub) | 72 Darenth Road, Dartford | 3 | 23 September |
| Madam Foodie Africano / Homeland African Cuisine / Lolas Kitchen | 443 Princes Road, Dartford | 3 | 30 September |
| Beautiful Bloom Ltd | DA1 (no full address listed) | 4 | 21 September |
A 3 means “generally satisfactory” (Best Kebab, The Ivy Leaf, Madam Foodie Africano, Beautiful Bloom).
The new fives
Tapas Revolution is one of 24 premises given a 5 since our last report. These have a full address on the register:
| Business | Where | Rated |
|---|---|---|
| The Brent Preschool | Methodist Church, St Vincents Road, Dartford | 21 September |
| Hotel Chocolat | Upper Thames Walk, Bluewater | 29 September |
| Marlborough Bakery | Orchards, High Street, Dartford | 30 September |
| Shell Hawley Service Station | Hawley Road, Dartford | 30 September |
| Five Guys | Lower Plaza, Bluewater | 6 October |
| Rising Sun (pub) | 16 Craylands Lane, Swanscombe | 6 October |
| Wilmington Store | 221 High Road, Wilmington | 6 October |
| Olive Dining at River Mill Primary School | Central Road, Dartford | 7 October |
| The Bull (pub) | 293 London Road, Stone | 7 October |
| The Spring River | Talbot Lane, Ebbsfleet Valley | 7 October |
| Dartford Family Hub | Oakfield Lane, Dartford | 8 October |
| Langafel CE Primary School breakfast club | Main Road, Longfield | 13 October |
| Tapas Revolution | Upper Plaza, Bluewater | 13 October |
| Wilmington Manor Nursing Home | Common Lane, Wilmington | 13 October |
| Holland and Barrett | Lower Rose Gallery, Bluewater | 14 October |
| Wingstop | Wintergarden, Bluewater | 14 October |
Eight more fives went to businesses the register lists by postcode district only, which is normal for home-based caterers:
- Buks Bakes (DA1), 5 October
- Kalyani’s Kitchen (DA1), 7 October
- The 30 Plants Company (DA1), 7 October
- Chilli Ginger (DA2), 15 October
- Goodies And Gifts (DA1), 15 October
- Little Thai Elephant (DA13), 16 October
- Elizabeth Kichen (DA9), 19 October
- Papa Bakes (DA10), 20 October
Every rating dated after 8 October is a 5. The newest on the register for the borough is Papa Bakes, on 20 October.
How the borough compares
The register lists 1,085 premises for the borough. Of those:
- 943 hold a numerical rating
- 79 are awaiting their first inspection
- 63 are exempt
Of the 943 with a rating, 735 are rated 5. That is 78 per cent, the same share as in October. Thirteen are rated 1 and one is rated 0.
The 0 is still Shan’s Fishmongers & Butchers on the High Street, inspected on 22 July. The other three businesses rated 1 in our September report, Royal Tandoori in Stone, Go Local on Victoria Road and Perfect Chicken at Home Gardens, still show those July and August ratings on the register.
What it means for you
- Check before you order. Every rating, with its date, is on the Food Standards Agency site. Search by name or postcode.
- A low rating can change. Tapas Revolution shows how quickly a business can move from 1 to 5 once it fixes what the inspector found.
- Ratings are a snapshot. A rating reflects the day of the inspection, not the quality of the food.
- Report a problem. Dartford Borough Council’s environmental health team handles food complaints at eh.admin@dartford.gov.uk.
Our Bluewater and Dartford restaurant guide and our local business directory list food businesses across Dartford, Swanscombe, Greenhithe and the villages.
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