The Old Butchers food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · South Cambridgeshire
The Old Butchers 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 28 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: 35 High Street, Balsham, CB21 4DJ
How it compares in South Cambridgeshire
That puts The Old Butchers among the 1,062 places in South Cambridgeshire holding top marks, 87% 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 | 1,062 | 87% | ← The Old Butchers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 121 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety 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 The Old Butchers 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 Old Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Black Bull Pub/bar/nightclub | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 15 May 2025 |
| Balsham Stores & Post Office Ltd. Retailers - other | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 March 2021 |
| The Bell Balsham Pub/bar/nightclub | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Mays Avenue Coffee Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 288 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2021 |
Questions about The Old Butchers
What is The Old Butchers's food hygiene rating?
The Old Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Cambridgeshire Council on 28 January 2025.
Is The Old Butchers 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 The Old Butchers last inspected?
The Old Butchers was last inspected on 28 January 2025, 17 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 The Old Butchers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Old Butchers compare to other places in South Cambridgeshire?
87% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in South Cambridgeshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Old Butchers is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
South Cambridgeshire Council inspects The Old Butchers 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 Old Butchers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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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 →