The Cellar Bar food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Cellar Bar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
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: The Cellar Bar The Mowlem, Swanage, BH19 1DD
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Cellar Bar among the 3,813 places in Dorset holding top marks, 96% 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 | 3,813 | 96% | ← The Cellar Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 138 | 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 1,126 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 Very 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 Cellar Bar 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 Cellar Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mowlem Theatre Kiosk Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2020 |
| Fortes Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 17 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| Fortes Gelateria Takeaway/sandwich shop | 17 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| Fortes Ice Cream Parlour Retailers - other | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| Beavers Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| McAllisters Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2025 |
| Studio South Other catering premises | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| Greggs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
Questions about The Cellar Bar
What is The Cellar Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Cellar Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 14 April 2026.
Is The Cellar Bar 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Cellar Bar last inspected?
The Cellar Bar was last inspected on 14 April 2026, 3 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 Cellar Bar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Cellar Bar compare to other places in Dorset?
96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Cellar Bar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Cellar Bar 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 Cellar Bar 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 Cellar Bar is one of 168 rated food businesses in Swanage. See every hygiene rating in Swanage →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,118 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 →