Rafferty's Kilkeel food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Newry, Mourne and Down
Rafferty's Kilkeel holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 28 January 2026, 5 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: 42 Newry Road, Magheramurphy, Kilkeel, BT34 4DT
How it compares in Newry, Mourne and Down
In Newry, Mourne and Down, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so Rafferty's Kilkeel sits behind roughly 1,535 nearby businesses. 2% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,411 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 124 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 2% | ← Rafferty's Kilkeel | |
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 143 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Rafferty's Kilkeel 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 Rafferty's Kilkeel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklands Healthcare Ltd Caring Premises | at this address | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Newry Street Unite Takeaway/sandwich shop | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2024 |
| P and J Morgan Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| First Steps Day Care Nursery School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Cornerstone Foodbank Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| J P MC Veigh Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2024 |
| Generation Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
| MFV Highland Queen (N970) Farmers/growers | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2019 |
Questions about Rafferty's Kilkeel
What is Rafferty's Kilkeel's food hygiene rating?
Rafferty's Kilkeel has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Newry, Mourne and Down Council on 28 January 2026.
Is Rafferty's Kilkeel safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Rafferty's Kilkeel last inspected?
Rafferty's Kilkeel was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newry, Mourne and Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Rafferty's Kilkeel?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Rafferty's Kilkeel compare to other places in Newry, Mourne and Down?
89% of the 1,580 rated food businesses in Newry, Mourne and Down hold the top rating of 5, while Rafferty's Kilkeel holds a 3. 24 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newry, Mourne and Down Council inspects Rafferty's Kilkeel 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 Rafferty's Kilkeel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Rafferty's Kilkeel is one of 1,034 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Newry, Mourne and Down inspects and rates 1,723 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newry, Mourne and Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newrymournedown.org
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 →