The Virginia Ash food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Somerset
The Virginia Ash holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 6 June 2025, 13 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.
Address: Sherborne Road, Henstridge, BA8 0PL
How it compares in Somerset
That puts The Virginia Ash among the 4,825 places in Somerset holding top marks, 88% 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 | 4,825 | 88% | ← The Virginia Ash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 539 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 93 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 557 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 The Virginia Ash 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 Virginia Ash, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henstridge Village Hall Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2024 |
| Henstridge Community Fridge and Larder Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2024 |
| Bird In Hand Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 4 - Good | 21 October 2024 |
| Explorers Pre School Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2021 |
| St Nicholas Church of England Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Henstridge Village Store Ltd Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 25 April 2025 |
| Grassroots Cafe Other catering premises | 0.8 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Gartell Light Railway (Cafe) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2025 |
Questions about The Virginia Ash
What is The Virginia Ash's food hygiene rating?
The Virginia Ash has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Somerset Council on 6 June 2025.
Is The Virginia Ash 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Virginia Ash last inspected?
The Virginia Ash was last inspected on 6 June 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Somerset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Virginia Ash?
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 The Virginia Ash compare to other places in Somerset?
88% of the 5,514 rated food businesses in Somerset hold the top rating of 5, and The Virginia Ash is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Somerset Council inspects The Virginia Ash 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 Virginia Ash 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
Somerset inspects and rates 6,071 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Somerset →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.somerset.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 →