Marks & Spencer food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · New Forest
Marks & Spencer holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the supermarket met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 24 February 2026, 4 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: 4-5 St Thomas Street, Lymington, SO41 9NA
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Marks & Spencer among the 1,154 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 | 1,154 | 80% | ← Marks & Spencer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 68 | 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 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 Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridges of Lymington Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2024 |
| Kings Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| Monday Lunch Club Other catering premises | 100 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2025 |
| Balkan Grill & Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 132 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2024 |
| COOK Retailers - other | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2016 |
| Card Factory Retailers - other | 317 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Hazy Days Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 344 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2025 |
Questions about Marks & Spencer
What is Marks & Spencer's food hygiene rating?
Marks & Spencer has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 24 February 2026.
Is Marks & Spencer 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 supermarket to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Marks & Spencer last inspected?
Marks & Spencer was last inspected on 24 February 2026, 4 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 Marks & Spencer?
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 Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer 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
Marks & Spencer 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 →