Southern Cross Tea Rooms food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Devon
Southern Cross Tea Rooms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 11 June 2025, 13 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: Southern Cross Guest House, High Street, Newton Poppleford, EX10 0DU
How it compares in East Devon
That puts Southern Cross Tea Rooms among the 1,093 places in East Devon holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,093 | 84% | ← Southern Cross Tea Rooms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 125 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 58 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 248 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 Good
- 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 Southern Cross Tea Rooms 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 Southern Cross Tea Rooms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cannon Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 388 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 7 August 2025 |
| The Newton Poppleford Community Larder Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2024 |
| Rickshaw Express Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Post Office Stores Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2024 |
| Rainbow Pre-school Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | Exempt | |
| Newton Poppleford Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2026 |
| Brandon Care Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Four Elms Fruit Farm Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
Questions about Southern Cross Tea Rooms
What is Southern Cross Tea Rooms's food hygiene rating?
Southern Cross Tea Rooms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Devon Council on 11 June 2025.
Is Southern Cross Tea Rooms 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Southern Cross Tea Rooms last inspected?
Southern Cross Tea Rooms was last inspected on 11 June 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Southern Cross Tea Rooms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Southern Cross Tea Rooms compare to other places in East Devon?
84% of the 1,303 rated food businesses in East Devon hold the top rating of 5, and Southern Cross Tea Rooms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Devon Council inspects Southern Cross Tea Rooms 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 Southern Cross Tea Rooms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southern Cross Tea Rooms is one of 171 rated food businesses in Sidmouth. See every hygiene rating in Sidmouth →
East Devon inspects and rates 1,551 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastdevon.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 →