The Ugly Duckling food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Ugly Duckling holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 4 February 2026, 5 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: Unit 6 Swans Yard High Street, Shaftesbury, SP7 8JQ
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Ugly Duckling 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 Ugly Duckling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Ugly Duckling 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 Ugly Duckling, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swans Larder Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2019 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 56 yards away | Exempt | |
| The Shaftesbury Deli Retailers - other | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Santonino Trattoria Pub/bar/nightclub | 63 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| Coffee #1 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Reeve The Baker Retailers - other | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| Edinburgh Woollen Mill Ltd Retailers - other | 68 yards away | Exempt | |
| Aroma Indian Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2024 |
Questions about The Ugly Duckling
What is The Ugly Duckling's food hygiene rating?
The Ugly Duckling has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 4 February 2026.
Is The Ugly Duckling 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Ugly Duckling last inspected?
The Ugly Duckling was last inspected on 4 February 2026, 5 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 Ugly Duckling?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Ugly Duckling compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Ugly Duckling is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Ugly Duckling 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 Ugly Duckling and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Ugly Duckling is one of 98 rated food businesses in Shaftesbury. See every hygiene rating in Shaftesbury →
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 →