The Square and Compasses food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · South Cambridgeshire
The Square and Compasses holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 26 July 2025, 11 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: 46 High Street, Great Shelford, CB22 5EH
How it compares in South Cambridgeshire
In South Cambridgeshire, 87% of rated places manage a 5, so The Square and Compasses sits behind roughly 1,063 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,063 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 120 | 10% | ← The Square and Compasses | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Square and Compasses 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 Square and Compasses, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cara Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 145 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Brunch Base Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 264 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 March 2025 |
| Days Of Ashwell - Bakery Retailers - other | 288 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2025 |
| NY Wines Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 437 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2021 |
| NYWines Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 437 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2025 |
| Great Shelford Local Store & Post Office Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 March 2026 |
| Level Up Nutrition Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2022 |
| Esso EMG Stapleford Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2024 |
Questions about The Square and Compasses
What is The Square and Compasses's food hygiene rating?
The Square and Compasses has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by South Cambridgeshire Council on 26 July 2025.
Is The Square and Compasses safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Square and Compasses last inspected?
The Square and Compasses was last inspected on 26 July 2025, 11 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 Square and Compasses?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Square and Compasses 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 The Square and Compasses holds a 4. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Cambridgeshire Council inspects The Square and Compasses 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 Square and Compasses 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 Square and Compasses is one of 30 rated food businesses in Great Shelford. See every hygiene rating in Great Shelford →
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 →