The Half Moon Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Half Moon Inn holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 8 January 2025, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Half Moon Inn Beaminster Road, Melplash, DT6 3UD
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke Hut Kitchen & Grill Mobile caterer | at this address | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| L & F Catering DV14 DME Mobile caterer | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2024 |
| Bridport Bingham Grange Caravan & Motorhome Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Wanderer Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | Awaiting inspection |
Questions about The Half Moon Inn
What is The Half Moon Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Half Moon Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 8 January 2025.
Is The Half Moon Inn 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Half Moon Inn last inspected?
The Half Moon Inn was last inspected on 8 January 2025, 18 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 Half Moon Inn?
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 Half Moon Inn compare to other places in Dorset?
96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Half Moon Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn 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 5,118 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 →