5

Leonards of Swanage food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · Dorset

Leonards of Swanage holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 20 January 2025, 17 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: 15 - 17 Institute Road, Swanage

How it compares in Dorset

That puts Leonards of Swanage among the 3,813 places in Dorset holding top marks, 96% 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.

Every rated food business in Dorset
5 out of 5 3,813 96% ← Leonards of Swanage
4 out of 5 138 3%
3 out of 5 33 1%
2 out of 5 5 <1%
1 out of 5 3 <1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 1,126 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Leonards of Swanage 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 Leonards of Swanage, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Herb 'N' Spice Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 158 yards away 5 - Very good 28 January 2026
Co-operative Pharmacy Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 10 June 2025
Kids Unlimited School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 14 June 2024
Caramelize Catering Mobile caterer 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 27 November 2024
Ongar Dairy Manufacturers/packers 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 14 April 2023
Sunshiine Ltd Retailers - other 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 10 February 2026
Epping Forest Foodbank Distributors/Transporters 0.9 miles away 5 - Very good 7 August 2024
Mess Hall Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.9 miles away 5 - Very good 15 August 2024

Questions about Leonards of Swanage

What is Leonards of Swanage's food hygiene rating?

Leonards of Swanage has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 20 January 2025.

Is Leonards of Swanage 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Leonards of Swanage last inspected?

Leonards of Swanage was last inspected on 20 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Leonards of Swanage?

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 Leonards of Swanage compare to other places in Dorset?

96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and Leonards of Swanage is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Dorset Council inspects Leonards of Swanage 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 Leonards of Swanage and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Leonards of Swanage is one of 168 rated food businesses in Swanage. See every hygiene rating in Swanage

Dorset inspects and rates 5,118 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset

The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →