The Undercroft Market food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · South Oxfordshire
The Undercroft Market holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 8 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 15 Shirburn Street, Watlington, OX49 5BU
How it compares in South Oxfordshire
That puts The Undercroft Market among the 808 places in South Oxfordshire holding top marks, 71% 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 | 808 | 71% | ← The Undercroft Market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 121 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 115 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Undercroft Market 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 Undercroft Market, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat Fox Inn Watlington Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 19 yards away | 4 - Good | 29 January 2026 |
| Oxfordshire Pies Retailers - other | 65 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| So Sustainable Retailers - other | 71 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2020 |
| Ox Club Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 76 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 23 January 2026 |
| Kingfisher Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 87 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 4 February 2026 |
| The Granary Cafe Retailers - other | 100 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2023 |
| The Granary Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2026 |
| Calnan Brothers Retailers - other | 109 yards away | 4 - Good | 20 August 2025 |
Questions about The Undercroft Market
What is The Undercroft Market's food hygiene rating?
The Undercroft Market has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Oxfordshire Council on 8 August 2023.
Is The Undercroft Market 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Undercroft Market last inspected?
The Undercroft Market was last inspected on 8 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Oxfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Undercroft Market?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Undercroft Market compare to other places in South Oxfordshire?
71% of the 1,137 rated food businesses in South Oxfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Undercroft Market is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
South Oxfordshire Council inspects The Undercroft Market 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 Undercroft Market 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Oxfordshire inspects and rates 1,252 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Oxfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.southoxon.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 →