Half Moon Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
Half Moon Inn 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 19 August 2025, 10 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: Half Moon Inn Half Moon Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN
How it compares in Dorset
That puts Half Moon Inn 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% | ← Half Moon Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plume of Feathers Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
| Rajpoot Tandoori Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| The Pear Tree Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Cafe D'Urberville Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 55 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| The Drinksmith Pub/bar/nightclub | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| The Danish Pantry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Star Grill Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 78 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Premier Sherborne Retailers - other | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2025 |
Questions about Half Moon Inn
What is Half Moon Inn's food hygiene rating?
Half Moon Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 19 August 2025.
Is Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn last inspected?
Half Moon Inn was last inspected on 19 August 2025, 10 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 Half Moon Inn?
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 Half Moon Inn compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and Half Moon Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects Half Moon Inn 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 Half Moon Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Half Moon Inn is one of 127 rated food businesses in Sherborne. See every hygiene rating in Sherborne →
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 →