The Thirsty Farmer food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Devon
The Thirsty Farmer holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 2 October 2025, 9 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: Talaton Road, Whimple, Exeter, EX5 2QQ
How it compares in East Devon
A 2 is rare: only 14 of 1,303 rated places in East Devon score this low, about one in 93. 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% | ← The Thirsty Farmer | |
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 The Thirsty Farmer the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 The Thirsty Farmer, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whimple Stores Retailers - other | 385 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2025 |
| New Fountain Inn Whimple Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| Whimple Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 23 May 2019 |
| T B Laarveld & J A Pidgeon Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Central Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.0 miles away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 5 March 2026 |
Questions about The Thirsty Farmer
What is The Thirsty Farmer's food hygiene rating?
The Thirsty Farmer has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by East Devon Council on 2 October 2025.
Is The Thirsty Farmer safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub 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 The Thirsty Farmer last inspected?
The Thirsty Farmer was last inspected on 2 October 2025, 9 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 The Thirsty Farmer?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Thirsty Farmer 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 The Thirsty Farmer holds a 2. 14 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Devon Council inspects The Thirsty Farmer 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 Thirsty Farmer 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 2 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
The Thirsty Farmer is one of 153 rated food businesses in Exeter. See every hygiene rating in Exeter →
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 →