Cafe Fairbairn food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · York
Cafe Fairbairn holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 12 May 2026, 2 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: Hm Prison Askham Grange, Main Street, Askham Richard, YO23 3PT
How it compares in York
A 1 is rare: only 17 of 1,854 rated places in York score this low, about one in 109. By contrast 74% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,378 | 74% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 314 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 106 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 38 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ← Cafe Fairbairn | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 297 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Cafe Fairbairn the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Cafe Fairbairn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Askham Grange Prison Other catering premises | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2026 |
| Askham Grange Acorn Family Centre Caring Premises | 228 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2020 |
| The Grange Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 228 yards away | 4 - Good | 12 May 2026 |
| Hutchison Catering at St Marys CE Primary School/college/university | 254 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2025 |
| St Mary's Out of School Club Caring Premises | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 July 2022 |
| Askham Bryan College Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2024 |
| Nags Head Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2024 |
Questions about Cafe Fairbairn
What is Cafe Fairbairn's food hygiene rating?
Cafe Fairbairn has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by York Council on 12 May 2026.
Is Cafe Fairbairn safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Cafe Fairbairn last inspected?
Cafe Fairbairn was last inspected on 12 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by York Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Cafe Fairbairn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Cafe Fairbairn compare to other places in York?
74% of the 1,854 rated food businesses in York hold the top rating of 5, while Cafe Fairbairn holds a 1. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
York Council inspects Cafe Fairbairn 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 Cafe Fairbairn 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at York, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: York
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
York inspects and rates 2,151 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in York →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.york.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 →