Sandleheath Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · New Forest
Sandleheath Stores holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 23 June 2026, 2 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.
This sits in the middle for New Forest, where 1% of rated places score below 3 and 93% score 4 or 5. See all New Forest ratings →
Address: Main Road, Sandleheath, Fordingbridge, SP6 1PP
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near Sandleheath Stores
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
Sandleheath Stores has gone backwards: it held a 4 before its inspection on 23 June 2026, and now holds a 3.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 23 June 2026 | 4 3 | 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 New Forest
In New Forest, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so Sandleheath Stores sits behind roughly 1,349 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,172 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 177 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 68 | 5% | ← Sandleheath Stores | |
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Sandleheath Stores 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 Sandleheath Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alderholt Mill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Rockbourne Trout Fishery Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| The Railway Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 August 2026 |
Questions about Sandleheath Stores
What is Sandleheath Stores's food hygiene rating?
Sandleheath Stores has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by New Forest Council on 23 June 2026.
Is Sandleheath Stores safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Sandleheath Stores last inspected?
Sandleheath Stores was last inspected on 23 June 2026, 2 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 Sandleheath Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Sandleheath Stores 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 Sandleheath Stores holds a 3. 68 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Sandleheath Stores 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 Sandleheath Stores 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
Sandleheath Stores is one of 92 rated food businesses in Fordingbridge. See every hygiene rating in Fordingbridge →
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 →