The Southern Co-operative food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Dorset
The Southern Co-operative holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 11 July 2025, 12 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: The Co-operative 1 Ringwood Road, Alderholt, SP6 3DF
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Southern Co-operative 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% | ← The Southern Co-operative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 The Southern Co-operative 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 Southern Co-operative, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Churchill Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 307 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2025 |
| T’s Tapas Mobile caterer | 327 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| St James CE First School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Forest Edge Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Alderholt Sports Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2023 |
Questions about The Southern Co-operative
What is The Southern Co-operative's food hygiene rating?
The Southern Co-operative has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 11 July 2025.
Is The Southern Co-operative 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Southern Co-operative last inspected?
The Southern Co-operative was last inspected on 11 July 2025, 12 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 The Southern Co-operative?
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 The Southern Co-operative compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Southern Co-operative is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Southern Co-operative 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 Southern Co-operative and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →