The Royal Oak food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Royal Oak holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 7 February 2025, 19 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
This sits in the middle for Dorset, where 0% of rated places score below 3 and 98% score 4 or 5. See all Dorset ratings →
Address: 1 Bridport Road, Drimpton, DT8 3RD
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Royal Oak
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How it compares in Dorset
In Dorset, 95% of rated places manage a 5, so The Royal Oak sits behind roughly 3,987 nearby businesses. 1% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,846 | 95% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 141 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 1% | ← The Royal Oak | |
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,131 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 The Royal Oak 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 The Royal Oak, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village Hall Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | Exempt | |
| Higher Bridge Farm Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 August 2024 |
| Black Cow Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 August 2024 |
Questions about The Royal Oak
What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?
The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Dorset Council on 7 February 2025.
Is The Royal Oak safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Royal Oak last inspected?
The Royal Oak was last inspected on 7 February 2025, 19 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 The Royal Oak?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Royal Oak compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 4,031 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, while The Royal Oak holds a 3. 34 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Royal Oak 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 The Royal Oak and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dorset inspects and rates 5,162 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 →