The Raj food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest
The Raj holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Raj was inspected on 21 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 1% of rated food businesses in New Forest score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all New Forest ratings →
Address: 1 Old Milton Green Parade, New Milton, BH25 6QA
How this rating has changed
The Raj has improved: it was rated 0 before its inspection on 21 July 2026, and now holds a 2.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2026 | 0 2 | Improved |
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 New Forest
A 2 is rare: only 4 of 1,441 rated places in New Forest score this low, about one in 360. By contrast 81% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,172 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 178 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 68 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ← The Raj | |
| 1 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 146 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Raj the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Raj, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greggs Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| China at Lees Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
| Flip N Tails Seafoods Retailers - other | 1 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2025 |
| Colten Care Limited Caring Premises | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Forest Foods Retailers - other | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2024 |
| LJ'S Snack Shack Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 231 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| First Friends Day Nursery Caring Premises | 392 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2026 |
| Forest Arts Centre Other catering premises | 392 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2014 |
Questions about The Raj
What is The Raj's food hygiene rating?
The Raj has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by New Forest Council on 21 July 2026.
Is The Raj safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Raj last inspected?
The Raj was last inspected on 21 July 2026, a month 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 The Raj?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Raj compare to other places in New Forest?
81% of the 1,441 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, while The Raj holds a 2. 4 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects The Raj 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 Raj 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at New Forest, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: New Forest
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Raj is one of 168 rated food businesses in New Milton. See every hygiene rating in New Milton →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,587 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 →