The Octagon food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Octagon 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 3 June 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 4 Pummery Square, Poundbury, DT1 3GW
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Octagon among the 3,813 places in Dorset holding top marks, 96% 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 | 3,813 | 96% | ← The Octagon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 138 | 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 1,126 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 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 Octagon 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 Octagon, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester Rugby Football Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2019 |
| Fables and Food Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| Kingston Mauward Studio School LTD Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
| 100 Giggles Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Finca Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Dorchester Community Church Food Share Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 May 2023 |
| Bonjour Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| Dorchester Middle School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
Questions about The Octagon
What is The Octagon's food hygiene rating?
The Octagon has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 3 June 2024.
Is The Octagon 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 The Octagon last inspected?
The Octagon was last inspected on 3 June 2024, more than 2 years 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 Octagon?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Octagon compare to other places in Dorset?
96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Octagon is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Octagon 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 Octagon and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Octagon is one of 31 rated food businesses in Poundbury. See every hygiene rating in Poundbury →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,118 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 →