5

Three Compasses food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset

Three Compasses 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 18 September 2025, 9 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: 9 The Square, Charminster, DT2 9QT

How it compares in Dorset

That puts Three Compasses among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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.

Every rated food business in Dorset
5 out of 5 3,808 95% ← Three Compasses
4 out of 5 139 3%
3 out of 5 33 1%
2 out of 5 5 <1%
1 out of 5 3 <1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 1,119 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Three Compasses 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 Three Compasses, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Gamekeeper Pub/bar/nightclub 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 4 July 2025
Boos Toy Shop Other catering premises 1.0 miles away 5 - Very good 28 November 2022
Age UK North, South and West Dorset Caring Premises 1.0 miles away 5 - Very good 23 April 2025
Crossroads Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.0 miles away 5 - Very good 26 November 2024
Crown Street Coffee Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.1 miles away 5 - Very good 29 April 2025
Damers First School School/college/university 1.1 miles away 5 - Very good 8 January 2025
Curiosity Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.1 miles away 5 - Very good 15 July 2025
Community Association of Poundbury CIC Retailers - other 1.1 miles away 5 - Very good 13 March 2026

Questions about Three Compasses

What is Three Compasses's food hygiene rating?

Three Compasses has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 18 September 2025.

Is Three Compasses 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 Three Compasses last inspected?

Three Compasses was last inspected on 18 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Three Compasses?

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 Three Compasses compare to other places in Dorset?

95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and Three Compasses is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Dorset Council inspects Three Compasses 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 Three Compasses and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset

The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →