The Merry Miller food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Vale of White Horse
The Merry Miller 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 29 May 2025, 13 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 Merry Miller Cothill Road, Dry Sandford, Abingdon, OX13 6JW
How it compares in Vale of White Horse
That puts The Merry Miller among the 764 places in Vale of White Horse holding top marks, 81% 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 | 764 | 81% | ← The Merry Miller | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 115 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 49 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 102 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 Merry Miller 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 Merry Miller, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Co-operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 July 2025 |
| Acacia UK Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2022 |
| Leo Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| One Stop Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 August 2025 |
| The Prince Of Wales Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 July 2025 |
| The Manor Preparatory School School/college/university | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2025 |
| Smeg UK Ltd Other catering premises | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| Marcham Little Angels Nursery Caring Premises | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
Questions about The Merry Miller
What is The Merry Miller's food hygiene rating?
The Merry Miller has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Vale of White Horse Council on 29 May 2025.
Is The Merry Miller 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 Merry Miller last inspected?
The Merry Miller was last inspected on 29 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Vale of White Horse Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Merry Miller?
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 Merry Miller compare to other places in Vale of White Horse?
81% of the 940 rated food businesses in Vale of White Horse hold the top rating of 5, and The Merry Miller is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Vale of White Horse Council inspects The Merry Miller 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 Merry Miller 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 Merry Miller is one of 175 rated food businesses in Abingdon. See every hygiene rating in Abingdon →
Vale of White Horse inspects and rates 1,042 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Vale of White Horse →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.whitehorsedc.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 →