The Cow Shed Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Hampshire
The Cow Shed 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 14 May 2025, 14 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: Unit 6B Soldridge Business Park Soldridge Road Medstead Alton GU34 5JF, GU34 5JF
How it compares in East Hampshire
That puts The Cow Shed Cafe among the 803 places in East Hampshire 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 | 803 | 84% | ← The Cow Shed Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 120 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 88 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 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 Cow Shed 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 Cow Shed Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forever Cake Creations Manufacturers/packers | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Travelodge Alton Four Marks Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| C J Read Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Clementines Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Nosh Cafe Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Southern Co-Operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 4 - Good | 6 March 2020 |
| Kings Lodge Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2021 |
| Butterflies Pre-School Playgroup Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2016 |
Questions about The Cow Shed Cafe
What is The Cow Shed Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Cow Shed Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Hampshire Council on 14 May 2025.
Is The Cow Shed 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 Cow Shed Cafe last inspected?
The Cow Shed Cafe was last inspected on 14 May 2025, 14 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hampshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cow Shed Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Cow Shed Cafe compare to other places in East Hampshire?
84% of the 958 rated food businesses in East Hampshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Cow Shed Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Hampshire Council inspects The Cow Shed 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 Cow Shed 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
East Hampshire inspects and rates 1,046 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hampshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.easthants.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 →