5

Bethersden Post Office & Stores food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · Ashford

Bethersden Post Office & Stores 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 8 August 2025, 11 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: Bethersden Post Office The Street, Bethersden, TN26 3AD

How it compares in Ashford

That puts Bethersden Post Office & Stores among the 1,039 places in Ashford holding top marks, 89% 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.

Every rated food business in Ashford
5 out of 5 1,039 89% ← Bethersden Post Office & Stores
4 out of 5 90 8%
3 out of 5 18 2%
2 out of 5 10 1%
1 out of 5 3 <1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 107 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Bethersden Post Office & Stores 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 Bethersden Post Office & Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
The George Community Pub Pub/bar/nightclub 56 yards away 5 - Very good 1 September 2023
Marchants of Bethersden Retailers - other 61 yards away 3 - Generally satisfactory 11 November 2025
Bethersden Playschool Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 9 November 2023
Pabulum Limited Bethersden County Primary School School/college/university 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 21 July 2025
CareTech Community Services Limited Whiston House Caring Premises 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 12 September 2025
The Bull Inn Pub/bar/nightclub 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 19 July 2024
Bull Green Farm Shop Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 3 June 2015
The Garden Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.0 miles away 5 - Very good 19 August 2025

Questions about Bethersden Post Office & Stores

What is Bethersden Post Office & Stores's food hygiene rating?

Bethersden Post Office & Stores has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Ashford Council on 8 August 2025.

Is Bethersden Post Office & Stores 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 Bethersden Post Office & Stores last inspected?

Bethersden Post Office & Stores was last inspected on 8 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ashford Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Bethersden Post Office & Stores?

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 Bethersden Post Office & Stores compare to other places in Ashford?

89% of the 1,161 rated food businesses in Ashford hold the top rating of 5, and Bethersden Post Office & Stores is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Ashford Council inspects Bethersden Post Office & Stores 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 Bethersden Post Office & Stores 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

Bethersden Post Office & Stores is one of 15 rated food businesses in Bethersden. See every hygiene rating in Bethersden

Ashford inspects and rates 1,268 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ashford

The official record is held by the council: http://www.ashford.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 →