Thornfield food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · East Devon
Thornfield holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the care premises and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 14 April 2026, 3 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: 87 Scalwell Lane, Seaton, EX12 2ST
How it compares in East Devon
A 1 is rare: only 13 of 1,303 rated places in East Devon score this low, about one in 100. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,093 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 125 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 58 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ← Thornfield | |
| 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 Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Thornfield the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Thornfield, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 40 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 January 2024 |
| Seaton Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2026 |
| Pink Hippo Day Nursery And Preschool Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 May 2025 |
| Harepath Holidays Ltd Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2025 |
| Camp Shop Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2024 |
| Pitchside Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2023 |
| Open Sesame Mobile caterer | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2024 |
| Manor Farm Caravan Park Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2024 |
Questions about Thornfield
What is Thornfield's food hygiene rating?
Thornfield has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by East Devon Council on 14 April 2026.
Is Thornfield safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The care premises is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Thornfield last inspected?
Thornfield was last inspected on 14 April 2026, 3 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 Thornfield?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Thornfield compare to other places in East Devon?
84% of the 1,303 rated food businesses in East Devon hold the top rating of 5, while Thornfield holds a 1. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Devon Council inspects Thornfield 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 Thornfield 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at East Devon, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: East Devon
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Thornfield is one of 141 rated food businesses in Seaton. See every hygiene rating in Seaton →
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 →