Almost one in 50 cafes is so dirty it failed inspection, MailOnline can reveal today.
Seven cafes, including three spread across central London, scored zero out of five, the lowest possible rating.
These scores are given to companies that pose a risk to public health.
During visits, inspectors may find rotting food, rodent droppings, and unsafe food storage.
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More than 12,000 businesses across the UK sell coffee, according to watchdogs the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Coffee is not its own category, so places that sell coffee are registered under several different labels. MailOnline searched for “coffee” and then searched for major brands to compile this list.
Large chains such as Costa and Starbucks are included in the database.
The vast majority have a score of three or higher, which corresponds to a pass.
Companies ranked between zero and two are considered to have failed because, at a minimum, “some improvement is necessary.”
MailOnline has today named and shamed the 207 cafes that failed inspection on our interactive map, allowing you to see if your premises have failed to meet a minimum standard.
A Costa branch in Aberdeen and another in Inverness were among the big names deemed unhygienic, as were Starbucks stores at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and one at Heathrow.
Another map from MailOnline shows how approval rates vary across Britain.
The Food Standards Agency rates establishments serving food or drink on a scale of 0 to 5. Businesses receiving a rating of two or less require immediate improvement and, in more serious cases, may face prosecution. Photo posed by models.
There are more than 12,000 cafes across the UK according to figures from the Food Standards Agency.
All inspected stores in areas including Cornwall, Amber Valley, Tonbridge Wells and Watford passed.
Birmingham, which is the UK’s largest local authority, had the highest number of failures: 23 out of 145, or 15.9 per cent.
In England and Wales, 24 per cent of cafes in Walsall have a non-pass rating, compared to 23.8 per cent in Charnwood and 23.53 in Rugby.
Twelve Authorities had failure rates of between 20 and 24 per cent, including tourist hotspots such as East Devon, North Devon and South Hams.
Almost 400 stores They have not yet been inspected.
A cafe awaiting an inspection may not be unsafe, although the customer cannot be assured that local authority environmental officers have visited the business and examined how they handle food.
Following any inspection, local authority officials issue a report which the FSA compiles nationally.
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The results available on the FSA website are updated daily as additional inspections are carried out.
Companies that fail can schedule a new test once they have rectified the issues in the initial report.
In more serious cases, officials may close a business until improvements are made and may also recommend that a business could face prosecution for violating food standards regulations.
Earlier this month, the FSA revealed that some retailers, including major supermarkets, are displaying incorrect food standards ratings outside their premises.
However, concerns have been raised about the reduction in the number of inspections at food establishments due to council budget cuts.
Over the last decade, the number of food standards inspectors employed by local councils has fallen by 45 per cent.
The FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have warned that staff shortages and cuts are ‘“This puts unsustainable pressure on existing local authority teams and may increase the risk of important food safety issues being overlooked.”
The joint statement warned that many of those working for local authority food safety teams are approaching retirement age.
Both the FSA and FSS warned: ‘Our concern is that this reduced ability to assess allergen authenticity, labeling and compliance could compromise food standards in the future.
“Without enough people with the right skills to carry out essential food controls, it will be more difficult to identify, monitor and respond to food safety risks, leaving consumers and businesses vulnerable.”
