The Exchange food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Dorset
The Exchange holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 26 September 2024, 21 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Community Office The Exchange Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1FH
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Exchange among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← The Exchange | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Exchange 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 Exchange, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sturminster Newton Country Market Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2018 |
| Royal British Legion Pub/bar/nightclub | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2025 |
| Southern Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
| Bulmag Ltd Retailers - other | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Poets Corner Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| One Stop Retailers - other | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2019 |
| Harts Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 118 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
| Oxfords Bakery Retailers - other | 135 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2024 |
Questions about The Exchange
What is The Exchange's food hygiene rating?
The Exchange has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 26 September 2024.
Is The Exchange 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Exchange last inspected?
The Exchange was last inspected on 26 September 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Exchange?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Exchange compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Exchange is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Exchange 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 Exchange 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
The Exchange is one of 46 rated food businesses in Sturminster Newton. See every hygiene rating in Sturminster Newton →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →