The New Sportsman food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Bedford
The New Sportsman holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 3 March 2017, more than 9 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: The Sportsman 58 the Boundary, Bedford, MK41 9HA
How it compares in Bedford
In Bedford, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so The New Sportsman sits behind roughly 1,208 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,208 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 164 | 11% | ← The New Sportsman | |
| 3 out of 5 | 72 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 190 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The New Sportsman 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 New Sportsman, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Orkids Day Nursery Goldington Caring Premises | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Caterplus @ McCarthy & Stone-Oakhill Place Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| Co-operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2017 |
| Andys Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Chez dali Mobile caterer | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2025 |
| Co-operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 February 2024 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2020 |
| BP Newnham Avenue Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
Questions about The New Sportsman
What is The New Sportsman's food hygiene rating?
The New Sportsman has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Bedford Council on 3 March 2017.
Is The New Sportsman safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The New Sportsman last inspected?
The New Sportsman was last inspected on 3 March 2017, more than 9 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bedford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The New Sportsman?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The New Sportsman compare to other places in Bedford?
83% of the 1,460 rated food businesses in Bedford hold the top rating of 5, while The New Sportsman holds a 4. 164 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bedford Council inspects The New Sportsman 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 New Sportsman and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bedford inspects and rates 1,650 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bedford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bedford.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 →