The Countryman food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Countryman holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 25 September 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: The Countryman Inn, East Knighton, DT2 8LL
How it compares in Dorset
In Dorset, 95% of rated places manage a 5, so The Countryman sits behind roughly 3,808 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,808 | 95% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ← The Countryman | |
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Countryman 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 Countryman, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Red Lion Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2026 |
| Lets do Lunch at Winfrith Newburgh Village Hall Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Chartwells @ Lulworth & Winfrith Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 13 November 2024 |
| Evocatus Hospitality Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2023 |
| The Hidden Deli (D.I.P) Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Jurassic Coast Fine Foods Ltd Manufacturers/packers | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| Nutley Farm Mobile caterer | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Fives Food Mobile caterer | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2025 |
Questions about The Countryman
What is The Countryman's food hygiene rating?
The Countryman has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Dorset Council on 25 September 2025.
Is The Countryman safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Countryman last inspected?
The Countryman was last inspected on 25 September 2025, 9 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 Countryman?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Countryman compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, while The Countryman holds a 4. 139 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Countryman 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 Countryman 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 →