The Ship Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · New Forest
The Ship Inn 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
This is a fresh result: The Ship Inn was inspected on 19 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: 68 High Street, Fordingbridge, SP6 1AX
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Ship Inn
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
The Ship Inn has improved: it was rated 3 before its inspection on 19 August 2026, and now holds a 5. That is the highest rating the scheme awards.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 19 August 2026 | 3 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 Ship Inn 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,172 | 81% | ← The Ship Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 The Ship Inn 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 Ship Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belinda's Bakery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Bridges Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Co-Operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2026 |
| The Crown Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 4 - Good | 24 November 2025 |
| Dominic Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 8 yards away | 4 - Good | 26 January 2026 |
| The Gourmet Grocer Retailers - other | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 December 2019 |
| Philpotts Takeaway/sandwich shop | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| The Cottage Loaf Retailers - other | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
Questions about The Ship Inn
What is The Ship Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Ship Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 19 August 2026.
Is The Ship Inn 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 The Ship Inn last inspected?
The Ship Inn was last inspected on 19 August 2026, within the last month. 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 Ship Inn?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Ship Inn 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 Ship Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects The Ship Inn 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 Ship Inn 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
The Ship Inn is one of 92 rated food businesses in Fordingbridge. See every hygiene rating in Fordingbridge →
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 →