The Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Central Bedfordshire
The 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 8 October 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: 51 Lowther Road, Dunstable, Beds, LU6 3NL
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
That puts The Butchers among the 1,153 places in Central Bedfordshire holding top marks, 76% 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 | 1,153 | 76% | ← The Butchers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 254 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 189 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 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 The Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-operative Group Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 7 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 April 2025 |
| Ardley Hill Academy School/college/university | 365 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2025 |
| Angel Convenience Store Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 July 2023 |
| Downside Supermarket Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 October 2023 |
| Bizzie Bees Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Downside Pre-school Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| A5 Food & Wine Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2023 |
| China Express Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
Questions about The Butchers
What is The Butchers's food hygiene rating?
The Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 8 October 2025.
Is The 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 The Butchers last inspected?
The Butchers was last inspected on 8 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Central Bedfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Butchers?
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 Butchers compare to other places in Central Bedfordshire?
76% of the 1,520 rated food businesses in Central Bedfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Butchers is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects The 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 The 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
The Butchers is one of 577 rated food businesses in Beds. See every hygiene rating in Beds →
Central Bedfordshire inspects and rates 1,709 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Central Bedfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.centralbedfordshire.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 →