Costcutter food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · North Devon
Costcutter holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: Costcutter was inspected on 29 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
94% of rated food businesses in North Devon score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all North Devon ratings →
Address: 18 Forches Avenue, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 8EE
How this rating has changed
Costcutter has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 29 July 2026, and now holds a 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 July 2026 | 5 4 | Worse |
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 North Devon
In North Devon, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so Costcutter sits behind roughly 1,105 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,105 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 135 | 10% | ← Costcutter | |
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 163 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Costcutter 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 Costcutter, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Park Academy School/college/university | 31 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Freedom Community Alliance Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 286 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2026 |
| Clayfield Care Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| B And M Stores Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2014 |
| Kiddywinks Childcare Ltd Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2025 |
| Compass Group (Chartwells) School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2026 |
| Arundel House Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Barnstaple Bowling Club Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2008 |
Questions about Costcutter
What is Costcutter's food hygiene rating?
Costcutter has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by North Devon Council on 29 July 2026.
Is Costcutter 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 shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Costcutter last inspected?
Costcutter was last inspected on 29 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Costcutter?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Costcutter compare to other places in North Devon?
84% of the 1,319 rated food businesses in North Devon hold the top rating of 5, while Costcutter holds a 4. 135 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Devon Council inspects Costcutter 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 Costcutter 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
Costcutter is one of 409 rated food businesses in Barnstaple. See every hygiene rating in Barnstaple →
North Devon inspects and rates 1,482 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northdevon.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 →