Sway Butchers food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · New Forest
Sway 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 9 January 2026, 6 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: Station Road, SWAY, SO41 6AA
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Sway Butchers 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% | ← Sway Butchers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Sway 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 Sway Butchers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Shack Co Ltd Mobile caterer | 153 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
| The Co-OP Sway Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 275 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 January 2025 |
| St Lukes C of E Primary School School/college/university | 306 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Community Cafe Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Sway Luncheon Club Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| Sway Place - Care UK Limited Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 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 |
Questions about Sway Butchers
What is Sway Butchers's food hygiene rating?
Sway Butchers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 9 January 2026.
Is Sway 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 Sway Butchers last inspected?
Sway Butchers was last inspected on 9 January 2026, 6 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 Sway Butchers?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Sway Butchers 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 Sway Butchers is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Sway 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 Sway 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
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 →