The Cottage Bakery food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Medway
The Cottage Bakery 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 19 January 2026, 5 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: 155 Fairview Avenue, Wigmore, Gillingham, ME8 0PX
How it compares in Medway
That puts The Cottage Bakery among the 1,577 places in Medway 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 | 1,577 | 80% | ← The Cottage Bakery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 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 The Cottage Bakery 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 Cottage Bakery, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 14 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Admiralty Care Home Caring Premises | 314 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Co-Op Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
| Abm Catering @ Deanwood Primary School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| Boyce's Bakery Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2024 |
| Busy Bees At Hempstead Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Bakers And Baristas Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2024 |
| Boots The Chemist Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2023 |
Questions about The Cottage Bakery
What is The Cottage Bakery's food hygiene rating?
The Cottage Bakery has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Medway Council on 19 January 2026.
Is The Cottage Bakery 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 The Cottage Bakery last inspected?
The Cottage Bakery was last inspected on 19 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cottage Bakery?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 The Cottage Bakery compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, and The Cottage Bakery is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects The Cottage Bakery 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 Cottage Bakery 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 Cottage Bakery is one of 509 rated food businesses in Gillingham. See every hygiene rating in Gillingham →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →