If you fancy dining out or picking up some supplies in Colchester and aren't sure where to pick, it would be worth checking this list to see where might be worth avoiding.

Hygiene and food safety is always rather important when it comes to picking a restaurant.

So we've compiled a list of the restaurants, cafes and shops with the lowest food hygiene ratings in Colchester acording to the Food Standards Agency.

The following list was calculated on the Food Standards Agency's 0-5 tier system, and features all restaurants featuring on the agency's website who have been given the lowest food hygiene rating of 0 and the second lowest of 1.

To be as update to date as possible, the list only includes reviews since the beginning of 2020, up until September 3, 2021.

The agency says '0' ratings = "Urgent Improvement Necessary".

Inspectors from the agency who review food hygiene in restaurants to later apply the ratings check the following three elements:

• How hygienically the food is handled: how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored

• The condition of the structure of the buildings: the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities

• How the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe and so that the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future

The below list of '0' and '1'-rated restaurants includes their listed address and the date of their last inspection by the Food Standards Agency.

Colchester

Raj Spice - rated - 0

33 Tower Street Brightlingsea Colchester Essex

CO7 0AL

Last inspection - 06 July 2021

Albatta - rated 1

18 Sir Isaac's Walk Colchester

CO1 1JL

Last inspection - 23 November 2018

Chef's Eating House - rated 1

Unit C5-C6 The Seedbed Centre Wyncolls Road Colchester

CO4 9HT

Last inspection - 25 March 2019

Since the last inspection the Chef's Eating House has been taken over by new owners Alan and Martina Draper.

Alan said: "We are aware that this place was rated at a 1 in 2019 but since we purchased in December 2020 we have revamped, remodeled and upgraded the cafe.

"We have invited the council and have been told they cannot come to the premises until such time it is safe to do so.

"However we did have a visit from the Covid compliance team who said that we where the first place to pass Covid compliance with flying colours.

"We are not rated as the new owners with food safety until they visit, we are open to their visit anytime.

"I have no doubt that we will be rated with a 5."

King Kebab - rated 1

1 Middleborough Colchester

CO1 1QS

Last inspection - 14 July 2021

Market Cafe - rated 1

Cattle Market Wyncolls Road Colchester

CO4 9HT

Last inspection - 18 June 2019

Myland Fisheries - rated 1

32 Nayland Road Colchester

CO4 5HA

Last inspection - 27 February 2020

Pizza Hut - rated 1

49-51 North Station Road Colchester

CO1 1RQ

Last inspection - 21 July 2021

The Indian Cottage - rated 1

98 High Street Kelvedon Colchester Essex

CO5 9AA

Last inspection - 29 July 2021

Yawee Foods - rated 1 

4 Davey Close Colchester

CO1 2XL

Last inspection - 25 November 2019