The Story Cafe

Hemel Hempstead

Food hygiene rating 3 / 5 · Generally satisfactory

Middle of the road

A 3 out of 5 is generally satisfactory - perfectly fine, but with a bit of room to improve.

The breakdown

Hygiene Generally satisfactory Cleanliness & condition Good Confidence in management Generally satisfactory

Last inspected on 17 March 2026 by Dacorum.

Rating over time

We have recorded 2 Food Standards Agency inspections for The Story Cafe, from September 2020 to March 2026. Its hygiene rating has gone down, from 5 in 2020 to 3 in 2026.

Food hygiene rating (0 to 5) at each FSA inspection of The Story Cafe.

Food hygiene rating history for The Story Cafe
Inspection date	Rating	Verdict
30 September 2020	5 / 5	Very good
17 March 2026	3 / 5	Generally satisfactory

What does this rating mean?

The Story Cafe in Hemel Hempstead has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory). On the Food Standards Agency scale, 5 is the best and 0 is the worst. A 3 out of 5 is generally satisfactory. Standards were acceptable, but the inspector noted some room for improvement.

The rating reflects standards found at the last inspection. It is not a verdict on how the food tastes - it scores how well the business manages food safety. How often a place is inspected depends on its risk: lower-rated and higher-risk businesses are revisited more often than spotless ones.

Where is it?

248 Marlowes,
Hemel Hempstead,
Hertfordshire,
HP1 1BJ

This is the official Food Standards Agency hygiene badge for The Story Cafe. The data is published by the FSA under the Open Government Licence.

Who inspects The Story Cafe?

Food hygiene at The Story Cafe is inspected by Dacorum, the local authority responsible for this area. You can reach them at http://www.dacorum.gov.uk or [email protected].

Questions about The Story Cafe

What is The Story Cafe’s food hygiene rating?

The Story Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (Generally satisfactory), based on its last Food Standards Agency inspection on 17 March 2026.

When was The Story Cafe last inspected?

The Story Cafe was last inspected by Dacorum on 17 March 2026.

Is a 3 out of 5 hygiene rating good?

A 3 out of 5 is generally satisfactory. Standards were acceptable, but the inspector noted some room for improvement.

What do the food hygiene scores mean?

The rating combines three checks made on the day of the inspection: how hygienically food is handled, the cleanliness and condition of the premises, and how confident the inspector is that management will keep standards up. A higher overall score, from 0 up to 5, means fewer problems were found.