The Hand in Hand food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Merton
The Hand in Hand 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 19 May 2025, 13 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: Pub 6 - 9 Crooked Billet, Wimbledon, SW19 4RQ
How it compares in Merton
That puts The Hand in Hand among the 1,033 places in Merton holding top marks, 82% 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 | 1,033 | 82% | ← The Hand in Hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 171 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 275 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 Hand in Hand 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 Hand in Hand, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander House Residential Care Home Caring Premises | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2025 |
| Amathus Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| All Bar One Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| Babylon Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Aldi Stores Limited Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| 21 Grams Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
Questions about The Hand in Hand
What is The Hand in Hand's food hygiene rating?
The Hand in Hand has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Merton Council on 19 May 2025.
Is The Hand in Hand 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 Hand in Hand last inspected?
The Hand in Hand was last inspected on 19 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Merton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hand in Hand?
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 Hand in Hand compare to other places in Merton?
82% of the 1,267 rated food businesses in Merton hold the top rating of 5, and The Hand in Hand is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Merton Council inspects The Hand in Hand 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 Hand in Hand 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 Hand in Hand is one of 497 rated food businesses in Wimbledon. See every hygiene rating in Wimbledon →
Merton inspects and rates 1,542 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Merton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.merton.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 →