The Three Cups food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Test Valley
The Three Cups 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 July 2026, 2 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.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Test Valley score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Test Valley ratings →
Address: High Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6HB
How this rating has changed
The Three Cups has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 2 July 2026, and now holds a 2. A rating of 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2 July 2026 | 5 2 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Test Valley
A 2 is rare: only 16 of 976 rated places in Test Valley score this low, about one in 61. By contrast 88% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 863 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 74 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 16 | 2% | ← The Three Cups | |
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 84 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Three Cups the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. 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 Three Cups, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prego Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2026 |
| The Greyhound On The Test Pub/bar/nightclub | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2026 |
| The Ecology Store Retailers - other | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2024 |
| Purbani Stockbridge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 70 yards away | 4 - Good | 13 October 2025 |
| Meadow Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2025 |
| Clos Du Marquis French Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 160 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| Thyme And Tides Deli Retailers - other | 177 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2026 |
| The Grosvenor Stockbridge Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 216 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 December 2025 |
Questions about The Three Cups
What is The Three Cups's food hygiene rating?
The Three Cups has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Test Valley Council on 2 July 2026.
Is The Three Cups 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 Three Cups last inspected?
The Three Cups was last inspected on 2 July 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Test Valley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Three Cups?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Three Cups compare to other places in Test Valley?
88% of the 976 rated food businesses in Test Valley hold the top rating of 5, while The Three Cups holds a 2. 16 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Test Valley Council inspects The Three Cups 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 Three Cups 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 Test Valley, 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: Test Valley
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Three Cups is one of 60 rated food businesses in Stockbridge. See every hygiene rating in Stockbridge →
Test Valley inspects and rates 1,060 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Test Valley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.testvalley.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 →