4

The Southern Co-Operative food hygiene rating

Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · East Hampshire

The Southern Co-Operative holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the supermarket are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.

The rating: 4 - Good

The rating dates from 6 March 2020, more than 6 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 30 Winchester Road Four Marks Alton GU34 5HG

How it compares in East Hampshire

In East Hampshire, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so The Southern Co-Operative sits behind roughly 803 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.

Every rated food business in East Hampshire
5 out of 5 803 84%
4 out of 5 120 13% ← The Southern Co-Operative
3 out of 5 22 2%
2 out of 5 4 <1%
1 out of 5 9 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 88 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 Southern Co-Operative 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 Southern Co-Operative, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Travelodge Alton Four Marks Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house 249 yards away 5 - Very good 5 September 2024
Butterflies Pre-School Playgroup Caring Premises 391 yards away 5 - Very good 10 October 2016
Four Marks Lunch Club Pub/bar/nightclub 391 yards away 5 - Very good 9 April 2025
The Church of the Good Shepherd Other catering premises 391 yards away 5 - Very good 6 December 2025
C J Read Retailers - other 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 17 July 2025
Clementines Retailers - other 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 27 March 2026
Nosh Cafe Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away Awaiting inspection
Four Marks and Medstead Community Cupboard Other catering premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 20 May 2021

Questions about The Southern Co-Operative

What is The Southern Co-Operative's food hygiene rating?

The Southern Co-Operative has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Hampshire Council on 6 March 2020.

Is The Southern Co-Operative safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this supermarket to be good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Southern Co-Operative last inspected?

The Southern Co-Operative was last inspected on 6 March 2020, more than 6 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hampshire Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Southern Co-Operative?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Southern Co-Operative compare to other places in East Hampshire?

84% of the 958 rated food businesses in East Hampshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Southern Co-Operative holds a 4. 120 places in the area share that rating.

Who decides the rating?

East Hampshire Council inspects The Southern Co-Operative 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 Southern Co-Operative 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

East Hampshire inspects and rates 1,046 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hampshire

The official record is held by the council: http://www.easthants.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 →