Black Cactus Shaftesbury food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
Black Cactus Shaftesbury 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 4 November 2025, 8 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: High Street Bakery And Cafe 58A High Street, Shaftesbury, SP7 8AA
How it compares in Dorset
That puts Black Cactus Shaftesbury among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← Black Cactus Shaftesbury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 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 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 Black Cactus Shaftesbury 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 Black Cactus Shaftesbury, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| John Peel Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 19 November 2024 |
| Bargains Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Sophie's Ceramics Other catering premises | 5 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2024 |
| Aura Alchemy Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 26 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| The Kitchen Table Retailers - other | 31 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2024 |
| Santonino Trattoria Pub/bar/nightclub | 73 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| The Shaftesbury Deli Retailers - other | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
Questions about Black Cactus Shaftesbury
What is Black Cactus Shaftesbury's food hygiene rating?
Black Cactus Shaftesbury has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 4 November 2025.
Is Black Cactus Shaftesbury 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 Black Cactus Shaftesbury last inspected?
Black Cactus Shaftesbury was last inspected on 4 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Black Cactus Shaftesbury?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Black Cactus Shaftesbury compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and Black Cactus Shaftesbury is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects Black Cactus Shaftesbury 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 Black Cactus Shaftesbury and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Black Cactus Shaftesbury is one of 98 rated food businesses in Shaftesbury. See every hygiene rating in Shaftesbury →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →