The Watercress Company food hygiene rating
Farmers/growers · Dorset
The Watercress Company holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the producer met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 19 June 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 Watercress Company, Waddock, DT2 8QY
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Watercress Company 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 Watercress Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Watercress Company 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 Watercress Company, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artisans Pantry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2025 |
| Dorset Farm Foods Wagon Mobile caterer | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2025 |
| Dovecote Tea Room & Farm Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2025 |
| Snelling Farm Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2021 |
| Moreton Camping & Caravanning Club Site Retailers - other | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2018 |
| The Frampton Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Dorset Gin Company Retailers - other | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2026 |
| Lets Lunch & Community Coffee Shop Other catering premises | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
Questions about The Watercress Company
What is The Watercress Company's food hygiene rating?
The Watercress Company has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 19 June 2025.
Is The Watercress Company 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 producer to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Watercress Company last inspected?
The Watercress Company was last inspected on 19 June 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 Watercress Company?
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 Watercress Company compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Watercress Company is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Watercress Company 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 Watercress Company 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 →