The Bench Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cumberland
The Bench Cafe 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 23 January 2026, 5 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: Hendersons Yard, Main Street, Keswick, CA12 5JD
How it compares in Cumberland
That puts The Bench Cafe among the 2,087 places in Cumberland holding top marks, 84% 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 | 2,087 | 84% | ← The Bench Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 285 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 258 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 The Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Temptations Retailers - other | 30 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2020 |
| Bryson's Bakery Manufacturers/packers | 53 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2025 |
| Merienda Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 63 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2024 |
| Harpers Newsagents Retailers - other | 71 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2020 |
| Relish Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| Mama Mia Pizzeria & Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| Crooked River Tap Pub/bar/nightclub | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
| Java Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
Questions about The Bench Cafe
What is The Bench Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Bench Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cumberland Council on 23 January 2026.
Is The Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe last inspected?
The Bench Cafe was last inspected on 23 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bench Cafe?
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 The Bench Cafe compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, and The Bench Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects The Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Bench Cafe is one of 275 rated food businesses in Keswick. See every hygiene rating in Keswick →
Cumberland inspects and rates 2,748 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cumberland.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 →