Margaret House food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · North Hertfordshire
Margaret House holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 12 November 2025, 8 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: Margaret House Church End, Barley, SG8 8JS
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
That puts Margaret House among the 791 places in North Hertfordshire holding top marks, 78% 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 | 791 | 78% | ← Margaret House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 110 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 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 Margaret House 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 Margaret House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barley Post Office & Stores Retailers - other | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 June 2011 |
| Barley C of E School School/college/university | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2019 |
| The Fox & Hounds Pub/bar/nightclub | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| The Chequers Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 4 - Good | 19 March 2025 |
Questions about Margaret House
What is Margaret House's food hygiene rating?
Margaret House has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 12 November 2025.
Is Margaret House 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 care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Margaret House last inspected?
Margaret House was last inspected on 12 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Margaret House?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Margaret House compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and Margaret House is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects Margaret House 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 Margaret House 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,125 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →