Merritts Coffee Lounge food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest
Merritts Coffee Lounge holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 25 May 2024, more than 2 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: 175 Lyndhurst Road, Ashurst, Southampton, SO40 7AR
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Merritts Coffee Lounge 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% | ← Merritts Coffee Lounge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Merritts Coffee Lounge 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 Merritts Coffee Lounge, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASHA Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| Ashurst Campsite Retailers - other | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 May 2024 |
| Ashurst Pre-School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| Foxhills County Junior School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Foxhills Infant School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| New Forest Child Care Cic Foxhills Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2018 |
Questions about Merritts Coffee Lounge
What is Merritts Coffee Lounge's food hygiene rating?
Merritts Coffee Lounge has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 25 May 2024.
Is Merritts Coffee Lounge 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Merritts Coffee Lounge last inspected?
Merritts Coffee Lounge was last inspected on 25 May 2024, more than 2 years 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 Merritts Coffee Lounge?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Merritts Coffee Lounge 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 Merritts Coffee Lounge is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Merritts Coffee Lounge 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 Merritts Coffee Lounge 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
Merritts Coffee Lounge is one of 18 rated food businesses in Ashurst. See every hygiene rating in Ashurst →
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 →