West Down Orchard food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Somerset
West Down Orchard 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 1 March 2023, more than 3 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Lopen Head, Lopen, TA13 5JH
How it compares in Somerset
That puts West Down Orchard among the 4,825 places in Somerset 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 | 4,825 | 87% | ← West Down Orchard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 541 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 92 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 557 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 West Down Orchard 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 West Down Orchard, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Railway Carriage Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 130 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
| Trading Post Farm Shop Retailers - other | 130 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Lopen Raj Taunton Buffet Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 130 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 2 June 2026 |
| Mobile Fruit & Veg Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 6 May 2022 |
| The Royal Oak Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| New Farm Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2024 |
| Sunshine Morning Nursery Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2022 |
| Asda Express PFS South Petherton Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2022 |
Questions about West Down Orchard
What is West Down Orchard's food hygiene rating?
West Down Orchard has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Somerset Council on 1 March 2023.
Is West Down Orchard 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 West Down Orchard last inspected?
West Down Orchard was last inspected on 1 March 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Somerset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at West Down Orchard?
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 West Down Orchard compare to other places in Somerset?
87% of the 5,515 rated food businesses in Somerset hold the top rating of 5, and West Down Orchard is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Somerset Council inspects West Down Orchard 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 West Down Orchard and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
West Down Orchard is one of 47 rated food businesses in South Petherton. See every hygiene rating in South Petherton →
Somerset inspects and rates 6,072 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Somerset →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.somerset.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 →