Bar So food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Bar So holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 27 August 2025, 10 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: Bar So Royal Exeter Hotel, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5AG
How it compares in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 88% of rated places manage a 5, so Bar So sits behind roughly 2,582 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,582 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 239 | 8% | ← Bar So | |
| 3 out of 5 | 87 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 567 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 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 Bar So 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 Bar So, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1812 Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2025 |
| Ask Italian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 121 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| 1805 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2022 |
| Aruba Bar and Restaurant Pub/bar/nightclub | 252 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2023 |
| 7Bone Bournemouth Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 309 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 March 2025 |
| Alpine Lodge Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 310 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
| Be At One Pub/bar/nightclub | 325 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2017 |
| Balmoral Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 327 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2022 |
Questions about Bar So
What is Bar So's food hygiene rating?
Bar So has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council on 27 August 2025.
Is Bar So 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Bar So last inspected?
Bar So was last inspected on 27 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bar So?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bar So compare to other places in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?
88% of the 2,942 rated food businesses in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hold the top rating of 5, while Bar So holds a 4. 239 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council inspects Bar So 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 Bar So and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bar So is one of 1,566 rated food businesses in Bournemouth. See every hygiene rating in Bournemouth →
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole inspects and rates 3,509 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bcpcouncil.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 →