Food Hygiene Ratings in Cherwell

1,342 food businesses in the source snapshot. Average rating: 4.7 out of 5. 80.9% rated "very good".

1,342
Businesses
4.7/5
Average Rating
9
Rated 0 or 1
80.9%
Rated 5/5

Rating distribution

Very Good80.9%992
Good12.5%153
Satisfactory4.8%59
Improvement Needed1.1%13
Major Improvement0.6%7
Urgent Improvement0.2%2

Business types

Other catering premises32324.1%
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen28421.2%
Retailers - other22316.6%
Takeaway/sandwich shop1219.0%
School/college/university886.6%
Pub/bar/nightclub705.2%
Mobile caterer685.1%
Caring Premises604.5%

Food hygiene ratings in Cherwell are assessed under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), operated by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with local authorities. Inspections are carried out by trained environmental health officers; not every registered business has a published rating. Ratings run from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). The inspection covers hygienic food handling, the physical condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed.

The source snapshot contains 1,342 registered food businesses for Cherwell. Of these, 1,226 have been rated under the FHRS. The area performs well above the national average, with 80.9% of businesses achieving the top rating of 5. The average rating across the authority is 4.7 out of 5. The snapshot contains 9 businesses rated 0 or 1, meaning they required urgent or major improvement to meet food hygiene standards.

If you are eating out in this area, look for the green FHRS sticker displayed at the entrance of food premises. Businesses rated 3 or above are generally considered satisfactory, but a rating of 5 gives the strongest assurance. If a business has a low rating, it does not necessarily mean the food is unsafe right now, as improvements may have been made since the last inspection, but it does indicate that significant issues were found.

Source snapshots

Retrieval is not an inspection date. Ratings may change; verify individual businesses with the official authority. Missing or conflicting results are not counted as a pass.

Lowest rated establishments

NameAddressRatingDate
DunelmOX16 2RX0Mar 17, 2026
KEBANOSOX26 6FA0Apr 23, 2026
Banbury Express Food And WineOX16 1AS1Mar 28, 2025
Bengal Spice Oxford LimitedOX15 0SP1Jul 02, 2026
Bicester Pizza HouseOX26 6RD1Aug 03, 2026
Fairway PremierOX16 0RR1Aug 25, 2026
Love DessertsOX16 5DZ1Jul 14, 2026
Roma coffeeOX16 5NB1Dec 09, 2025
Zabka SupermarketOX5 1EE1Nov 03, 2025
Banbury KebabishOX16 5EX2Dec 18, 2025
Chols The Sandwich MakerOX26 6AA2Aug 19, 2025
Flaming hutOX16 4QJ2Dec 01, 2025
Golden KitchenOX26 2XE2Aug 04, 2026
Love DessertsOX26 6HY2Mar 23, 2026
Oxford ArmsOX5 3HA2Aug 06, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How many restaurants in Cherwell have a 5 rating?+

The source snapshot contains 992 food businesses in Cherwell with the highest FHRS rating of 5 (Very Good), representing 80.9% of all rated establishments. A rating of 5 means that the business was found to have very good hygiene standards at the time of inspection.

What does a food hygiene rating of 1 mean in Cherwell?+

A food hygiene rating of 1 means 'Major Improvement Necessary'. This indicates that the food business was found to have significant problems with hygiene standards during its most recent inspection. The business is required to make substantial improvements. While it can remain open, it should be re-inspected to confirm improvements have been made.

How often are food businesses inspected in Cherwell?+

Inspection frequency in Cherwell depends on the risk level of the business. High-risk establishments (such as those with previous low ratings) may be inspected every 6 months, while low-risk businesses with a consistent rating of 5 may only be inspected every 2-3 years. The local authority's environmental health team manages the inspection schedule.

Data from official government food safety agencies