Hare and Hounds food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · New Forest
Hare and Hounds 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 7 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Durnstown, SWAY, Lymington, SO41 6AL
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Hare and Hounds among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% 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 | 80% | ← Hare and Hounds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 Hare and Hounds 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 Hare and Hounds, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sway Place - Care UK Limited Caring Premises | 339 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2026 |
| Community Cafe Other catering premises | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Sway Luncheon Club Other catering premises | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| St Lukes C of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Birchy Hill Care Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| Sway Cricket Club Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2018 |
| Sway F C Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2022 |
| Sway Butchers Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
Questions about Hare and Hounds
What is Hare and Hounds's food hygiene rating?
Hare and Hounds has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 7 November 2024.
Is Hare and Hounds 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 Hare and Hounds last inspected?
Hare and Hounds was last inspected on 7 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hare and Hounds?
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 Hare and Hounds compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Hare and Hounds is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Hare and Hounds 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 Hare and Hounds 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
Hare and Hounds is one of 252 rated food businesses in Lymington. See every hygiene rating in Lymington →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.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 →