5

The Paddle in the Forest food hygiene rating

Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest

The Paddle in the Forest holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

This is a fresh result: The Paddle in the Forest was inspected on 8 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.

93% of rated food businesses in New Forest score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all New Forest ratings →

Address: 76 Brookley Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7RA

⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Paddle in the Forest

These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.

See the worst-rated food businesses in the UK →

How this rating has changed

The Paddle in the Forest has improved: it was rated 4 before its inspection on 8 August 2026, and now holds a 5. That is the highest rating the scheme awards.

Inspected Rating Change
8 August 2026 4 5 Improved

The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.

How it compares in New Forest

That puts The Paddle in the Forest among the 1,172 places in New Forest holding top marks, 81% 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.

Every rated food business in New Forest
5 out of 5 1,172 81% ← The Paddle in the Forest
4 out of 5 177 12%
3 out of 5 68 5%
2 out of 5 5 <1%
1 out of 5 19 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 146 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Paddle in the Forest 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 Paddle in the Forest, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
The Terrace Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen at this address 5 - Very good 21 April 2026
Golden Cuisine Chinese Take Away Takeaway/sandwich shop at this address 4 - Good 22 October 2024
Southern Co-OP Retailers - other at this address 4 - Good 23 January 2026
Village Veg Ltd Retailers - other at this address 4 - Good 16 January 2014
Village Butchers Retailers - other at this address 1 - Major improvement necessary 30 June 2026
Commoners Wine Bar Pub/bar/nightclub 7 yards away 5 - Very good 22 June 2026
Dynasty Indian Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 33 yards away 5 - Very good 3 June 2026
The Brock Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 33 yards away 5 - Very good 8 April 2025

Questions about The Paddle in the Forest

What is The Paddle in the Forest's food hygiene rating?

The Paddle in the Forest has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 8 August 2026.

Is The Paddle in the Forest 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Paddle in the Forest last inspected?

The Paddle in the Forest was last inspected on 8 August 2026, a month 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 The Paddle in the Forest?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Paddle in the Forest compare to other places in New Forest?

81% of the 1,441 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and The Paddle in the Forest is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

New Forest Council inspects The Paddle in the Forest 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 Paddle in the Forest 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 Paddle in the Forest is one of 87 rated food businesses in Brockenhurst. See every hygiene rating in Brockenhurst

New Forest inspects and rates 1,587 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 →