Scoops and Shakes food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
Scoops and Shakes holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant 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 19 November 2025, 7 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: 11-13 The Square, Ballygowan, Ballygowan, BT23 6HY
How it compares in Ards and North Down
In Ards and North Down, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so Scoops and Shakes sits behind roughly 1,103 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ← Scoops and Shakes | |
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 118 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 Scoops and Shakes 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 Scoops and Shakes, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wineflair Retailers - other | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Piggy's Vapes and Treats Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Davidson's Pub/bar/nightclub | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2024 |
| Farley House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| S Gibson's Family Butchers Retailers - other | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| The Roundabout Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Pizzagirl Takeaway/sandwich shop | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Lily's Takeaway/sandwich shop | 108 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
Questions about Scoops and Shakes
What is Scoops and Shakes's food hygiene rating?
Scoops and Shakes has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Ards and North Down Council on 19 November 2025.
Is Scoops and Shakes safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant 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 Scoops and Shakes last inspected?
Scoops and Shakes was last inspected on 19 November 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Scoops and Shakes?
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 Scoops and Shakes compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,155 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, while Scoops and Shakes holds a 3. 43 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects Scoops and Shakes 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 Scoops and Shakes and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Scoops and Shakes is one of 884 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,273 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →