The Stepping Stones food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Derbyshire Dales
The Stepping Stones 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 31 March 2026, 3 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: Carnation Way, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1AY
How it compares in Derbyshire Dales
In Derbyshire Dales, 64% of rated places manage a 5, so The Stepping Stones sits behind roughly 526 nearby businesses. 20% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 526 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 168 | 20% | ← The Stepping Stones | |
| 3 out of 5 | 90 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 24 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 84 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Stepping Stones 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 Stepping Stones, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2024 |
| Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Retailers - other | 426 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Poundland Retailers - other | 426 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Ashbourne Elim Pentecostal Church Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 7 May 2025 |
| Cock Inn Public House Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 18 December 2024 |
| Clifton Church Of England Controlled Primary School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 10 December 2024 |
| St Oswalds C Of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2025 |
| St Oswalds Hospital Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
Questions about The Stepping Stones
What is The Stepping Stones's food hygiene rating?
The Stepping Stones has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Derbyshire Dales Council on 31 March 2026.
Is The Stepping Stones 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 Stepping Stones last inspected?
The Stepping Stones was last inspected on 31 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Derbyshire Dales Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Stepping Stones?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Stepping Stones compare to other places in Derbyshire Dales?
64% of the 820 rated food businesses in Derbyshire Dales hold the top rating of 5, while The Stepping Stones holds a 4. 168 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Derbyshire Dales Council inspects The Stepping Stones 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 Stepping Stones and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Stepping Stones is one of 105 rated food businesses in Ashbourne. See every hygiene rating in Ashbourne →
Derbyshire Dales inspects and rates 904 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Derbyshire Dales →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/fhrs
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 →