The Common food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · South Oxfordshire
The Common holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 24 July 2025, 11 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: 48 Wood Lane, Sonning Common, Reading, RG4 9SL
How it compares in South Oxfordshire
In South Oxfordshire, 71% of rated places manage a 5, so The Common sits behind roughly 808 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 808 | 71% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 16% | ← The Common | |
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 116 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 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 Common 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 Common, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Stop Retailers - other | 13 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Hot Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop | 52 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 27 May 2026 |
| Co-operative Group Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 53 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2024 |
| Tandoori Connoisseur Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 56 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 28 August 2025 |
| Little Petals Day Nursery Caring Premises | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Florence House Caring Premises | 317 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| B&B Local Ltd Retailers - other | 377 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
| Operation Friendship Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | Exempt |
Questions about The Common
What is The Common's food hygiene rating?
The Common has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by South Oxfordshire Council on 24 July 2025.
Is The Common safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Common last inspected?
The Common was last inspected on 24 July 2025, 11 months 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 Common?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Common compare to other places in South Oxfordshire?
71% of the 1,136 rated food businesses in South Oxfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Common holds a 4. 186 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Oxfordshire Council inspects The Common 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 Common 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 Common is one of 22 rated food businesses in Sonning Common. See every hygiene rating in Sonning Common →
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 →