Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Isle of Wight
Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 1 November 2025, 8 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: 51 - 53 School Green Road, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, PO40 9AS
How it compares in Isle of Wight
In Isle of Wight, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop sits behind roughly 1,041 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,041 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 262 | 18% | ← Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop | |
| 3 out of 5 | 139 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 208 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop 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 Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bikery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 18 October 2025 |
| Jaffran Indian Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 15 yards away | 4 - Good | 22 February 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 151 yards away | Exempt | |
| Little Stars Preschool School/college/university | 171 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2026 |
| Allsorts Retailers - other | 183 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Cath And Mike's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 183 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 16 January 2025 |
| The Vine Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 183 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 17 September 2025 |
| Freshwater Methodist Church Other catering premises | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 October 2017 |
Questions about Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop
What is Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop's food hygiene rating?
Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Isle of Wight Council on 1 November 2025.
Is Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop last inspected?
Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop was last inspected on 1 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Isle of Wight Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop compare to other places in Isle of Wight?
70% of the 1,479 rated food businesses in Isle of Wight hold the top rating of 5, while Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop holds a 4. 262 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Isle of Wight Council inspects Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop 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 Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Mrs Middlebrow's Bookshop is one of 50 rated food businesses in Freshwater. See every hygiene rating in Freshwater →
Isle of Wight inspects and rates 1,687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Isle of Wight →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.iow.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/community-protection-services/
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 →