Forest & Field Cafe food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Newry, Mourne and Down
Forest & Field Cafe holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the business that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 9 March 2026, 4 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: Castlewellan Forest Park, Castlewellan, BT31 9BU
How it compares in Newry, Mourne and Down
A 2 is rare: only 13 of 1,580 rated places in Newry, Mourne and Down score this low, about one in 122. By contrast 89% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,411 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 124 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ← Forest & Field Cafe | |
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 143 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Forest & Field Cafe 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 Forest & Field Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest & Field Other catering premises | at this address | Awaiting inspection | |
| St Malachy's High School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| St Malachy's Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Zebedee’s Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
| Wonder Years Day Nursery School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Fresh Food Centre Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 19 February 2026 |
| Castlewellan Christian Conference Centre Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| The Yard Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2025 |
Questions about Forest & Field Cafe
What is Forest & Field Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Forest & Field Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Newry, Mourne and Down Council on 9 March 2026.
Is Forest & Field Cafe safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The business 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 Forest & Field Cafe last inspected?
Forest & Field Cafe was last inspected on 9 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newry, Mourne and Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Forest & Field Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Forest & Field Cafe compare to other places in Newry, Mourne and Down?
89% of the 1,580 rated food businesses in Newry, Mourne and Down hold the top rating of 5, while Forest & Field Cafe holds a 2. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newry, Mourne and Down Council inspects Forest & Field Cafe 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 Forest & Field Cafe 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 Newry, Mourne and Down, 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: Newry, Mourne and Down
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Newry, Mourne and Down inspects and rates 1,723 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newry, Mourne and Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newrymournedown.org
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 →