The Old School Cafe at St Barbe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest
The Old School Cafe at St Barbe 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 27 January 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: St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, New Street, Lymington, SO41 9BH
How it compares in New Forest
That puts The Old School Cafe at St Barbe among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% 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 | 1,153 | 80% | ← The Old School Cafe at St Barbe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 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 Old School Cafe at St Barbe 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 Old School Cafe at St Barbe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penkey Coffee and Gifts Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2026 |
| 3 Wishes Retailers - other | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 January 2014 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2024 |
| Hoxton Bakehouse Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 July 2024 |
| Hazy Days Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2025 |
| A & J Seal Family Butcher Retailers - other | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
| Angel and Blue Pig Pub/bar/nightclub | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2025 |
| Maison Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
Questions about The Old School Cafe at St Barbe
What is The Old School Cafe at St Barbe's food hygiene rating?
The Old School Cafe at St Barbe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 27 January 2026.
Is The Old School Cafe at St Barbe 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 Old School Cafe at St Barbe last inspected?
The Old School Cafe at St Barbe was last inspected on 27 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Old School Cafe at St Barbe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Old School Cafe at St Barbe compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and The Old School Cafe at St Barbe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects The Old School Cafe at St Barbe 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.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Old School Cafe at St Barbe is one of 252 rated food businesses in Lymington. See every hygiene rating in Lymington →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.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 →