Maharaja food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
Maharaja holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 12 August 2021, more than 4 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 39 East Street, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DU
How it compares in Dorset
A 1 is rare: only 3 of 3,988 rated places in Dorset score this low, about one in 1,329. By contrast 95% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,808 | 95% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ← Maharaja | |
| 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 Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- 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 Maharaja the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and the condition of the premises. 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 Maharaja, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solti Grocery Retailers - other | 34 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
| Atlas Adventure Store Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 35 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Long John's Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2024 |
| Pizza King Takeaway/sandwich shop | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Tasty Takeaway/sandwich shop | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Heritage Bridge Ales Pub/bar/nightclub | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2023 |
| Lucy's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 103 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2026 |
Questions about Maharaja
What is Maharaja's food hygiene rating?
Maharaja has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Dorset Council on 12 August 2021.
Is Maharaja safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Maharaja last inspected?
Maharaja was last inspected on 12 August 2021, more than 4 years 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 Maharaja?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Maharaja compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, while Maharaja holds a 1. 3 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects Maharaja 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 Maharaja 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 1 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 Dorset, 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: Dorset
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Maharaja is one of 118 rated food businesses in Blandford Forum. See every hygiene rating in Blandford Forum →
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 →