Talking Hands food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Mid Sussex
Talking Hands holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 9 October 2025, 9 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Talking Hands, 4 Stanford Terrace, Station Approach West, BN6 8JF
How it compares in Mid Sussex
That puts Talking Hands among the 1,031 places in Mid Sussex holding top marks, 83% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,031 | 83% | ← Talking Hands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 127 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 59 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 116 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Talking Hands none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Talking Hands, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastwood Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 245 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| A Twine Butchers Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2026 |
| Green Folk Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2024 |
| BN6 Craft Beer & Tap Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2022 |
| Hassocks Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Bake Out Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2025 |
| Hassocks Day Nursery & Preschool Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2026 |
| Hassocks Football Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
Questions about Talking Hands
What is Talking Hands's food hygiene rating?
Talking Hands has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Mid Sussex Council on 9 October 2025.
Is Talking Hands safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Talking Hands last inspected?
Talking Hands was last inspected on 9 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid Sussex Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Talking Hands?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Talking Hands compare to other places in Mid Sussex?
83% of the 1,248 rated food businesses in Mid Sussex hold the top rating of 5, and Talking Hands is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Mid Sussex Council inspects Talking Hands and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Talking Hands and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Talking Hands is one of 100 rated food businesses in Hassocks. See every hygiene rating in Hassocks →
Mid Sussex inspects and rates 1,364 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid Sussex →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →