The Farmers Den food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · New Forest
The Farmers Den holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 10 October 2025, 9 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: Merryhill Farm, Hightown Hill, Ringwood, BH24 3HG
How it compares in New Forest
That puts The Farmers Den among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% 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 | 1,153 | 80% | ← The Farmers Den | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 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 Farmers Den 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.
Questions about The Farmers Den
What is The Farmers Den's food hygiene rating?
The Farmers Den has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 10 October 2025.
Is The Farmers Den 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 care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Farmers Den last inspected?
The Farmers Den was last inspected on 10 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Farmers Den?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", 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 Farmers Den compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and The Farmers Den is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects The Farmers Den 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 Farmers Den 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 Farmers Den is one of 158 rated food businesses in Ringwood. See every hygiene rating in Ringwood →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.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 →