The Circus food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Circus holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 9 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: 33 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Circus 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,808 | 95% | ← The Circus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 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 Circus 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 Circus, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| J & M Parsons Ltd Retailers - other | 24 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Oliver's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 24 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2025 |
| Oxfords Retailers - other | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2025 |
| Jen's Kitchen School/college/university | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2019 |
| Paddy & Eileen's Ltd Retailers - other | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| The Hummingbird Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Retailers - other | 161 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| The George Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
Questions about The Circus
What is The Circus's food hygiene rating?
The Circus has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 9 August 2023.
Is The Circus 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Circus last inspected?
The Circus was last inspected on 9 August 2023, more than 2 years 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 The Circus?
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 Circus compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Circus is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Circus 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 Circus 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
The Circus is one of 127 rated food businesses in Sherborne. See every hygiene rating in Sherborne →
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 →