Crowborough cafe receives one star hygiene rating

An inspection on June 4 2025 left Will's Cafe & Grill with a one star rating and a call for major improvements.

Crowborough Will's Cafe & Grill receives one star food hygiene rating

Will's Cafe & Grill, located at 2 Sussex House on The Broadway in Crowborough, received a one star food hygiene rating after a routine inspection on June 4 2025. A score of one is the second lowest of the six ratings and means major improvement is required in hygiene. The cafe, known for breakfasts, burgers and wings, also serves coffees, cakes and pastries. Inspectors judged three areas: hygienic handling of food, cleanliness and condition of facilities, and management of food safety. They assessed how food is prepared, cooked, cooled and stored, along with the cleanliness of the premises and the systems in place to ensure food safety. The food safety officer found improvements needed in all three categories. In the hygienic handling category, preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage were marked as improvement necessary. Cleanliness and facilities, including layout, ventilation, hand-washing facilities and pest control, were also rated as improvement necessary. The most serious concerns were raised in the management of food safety, with the officer noting major improvement is necessary. A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said low ratings require urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards. Local authority officers have enforcement options and can set deadlines based on the issue. If standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to public health, the officer can stop part of the business or close it down until it is safe to recommence.

This rating shows how a single inspection can rewrite a small business’s fate. For residents and customers in Crowborough, it is a reminder that food safety sits at the heart of everyday dining. The episode highlights how regulators pursue a balance between guidance and enforcement in local eateries, and it underscores the need for ongoing staff training and robust record keeping. The story raises questions about how quickly owners act on feedback and how fast a kitchen can regain trust after a negative assessment. In the broader picture, the episode reflects a steady push to make safety standards tangible in busy kitchens rather than leaving them as formal obligations.

Highlights

The real test will be how quickly Will's Cafe & Grill translates this rating into tangible changes.