W J Castle - Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Cotswold
W J Castle - Butchers 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 2 December 2025, 7 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: Castles Butchers, The Green, Northleach, GL54 3EX
How it compares in Cotswold
That puts W J Castle - Butchers among the 940 places in Cotswold holding top marks, 93% 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 | 940 | 93% | ← W J Castle - Butchers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 53 | 5% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 91 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 W J Castle - Butchers 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 W J Castle - Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sherborne Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 65 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| Lynwood & Co Northleach Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 73 yards away | 4 - Good | 6 August 2025 |
| Fruitcakes Retailers - other | 79 yards away | 4 - Good | 5 February 2026 |
| The Curious Wine Cellar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 117 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| Caterlink At Northleach C Of E Primary School School/college/university | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2026 |
| Northleach Playgroup School/college/university | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| The Wheatsheaf Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 276 yards away | 4 - Good | 8 January 2026 |
| Northleach Court Care Caring Premises | 396 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2025 |
Questions about W J Castle - Butchers
What is W J Castle - Butchers's food hygiene rating?
W J Castle - Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cotswold Council on 2 December 2025.
Is W J Castle - Butchers 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 W J Castle - Butchers last inspected?
W J Castle - Butchers was last inspected on 2 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cotswold Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at W J Castle - Butchers?
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 W J Castle - Butchers compare to other places in Cotswold?
93% of the 1,009 rated food businesses in Cotswold hold the top rating of 5, and W J Castle - Butchers is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cotswold Council inspects W J Castle - Butchers 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 W J Castle - Butchers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cotswold inspects and rates 1,100 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cotswold →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cotswold.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 →