The Forest Inn food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Forest Inn holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 28 January 2026, 5 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: Forest Links Road, Ferndown, BH22 9PH
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Forest Inn among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← The Forest Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 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 1,119 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 Good
- 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 Forest 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 Forest Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndown Wayfarers Cricket and Sports Club Ltd Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2023 |
| Greggs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 September 2025 |
| Harrison Catering (Ultra Electronics) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Ozzie's Big Breakfast Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Active Root Nutrition Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
| Central Convenience Stores Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Penn Court Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2024 |
| Ginger Fusion Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 July 2025 |
Questions about The Forest Inn
What is The Forest Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Forest Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 28 January 2026.
Is The Forest 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Forest Inn last inspected?
The Forest Inn was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 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 Forest Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Forest Inn compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Forest Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Forest 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 Forest 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
The Forest Inn is one of 108 rated food businesses in Ferndown. See every hygiene rating in Ferndown →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 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 →