Thorn House food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · South Cambridgeshire
Thorn House holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the hotel requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 29 November 2025, 7 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.
How it compares in South Cambridgeshire
A 0 is rare: only 2 of 1,221 rated places in South Cambridgeshire score this low, about one in 611. By contrast 87% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,062 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 122 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← Thorn House |
A further 95 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Urgent improvement necessary
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 Thorn House the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Questions about Thorn House
What is Thorn House's food hygiene rating?
Thorn House has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by South Cambridgeshire Council on 29 November 2025.
Is Thorn House safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The hotel may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Thorn House last inspected?
Thorn House was last inspected on 29 November 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Cambridgeshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Thorn House?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "urgent improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Thorn House compare to other places in South Cambridgeshire?
87% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in South Cambridgeshire hold the top rating of 5, while Thorn House holds a 0. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Cambridgeshire Council inspects Thorn House 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 Thorn House and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Is this your business?
A rating of 0 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at South Cambridgeshire, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: South Cambridgeshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Cambridgeshire inspects and rates 1,316 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Cambridgeshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.scambs.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 →