The Shakespeare food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Cherwell
The Shakespeare holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the business 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 16 April 2026, 2 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: The Shakespeare Bowmont Square, Bicester, OX26 2GJ
How it compares in Cherwell
In Cherwell, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Shakespeare sits behind roughly 977 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 13% | ← The Shakespeare | |
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 103 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Shakespeare 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 Shakespeare, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| OCC Catering Services @ St Edburgs (Lower) Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2024 |
| Kent Hon Chinese Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2025 |
| Nisa local Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2024 |
| Dominos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| Busy Bees @ Bicester Kingsmere Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2026 |
| Jack and Jill Pre School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Impact Montessori Nursery Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2019 |
Questions about The Shakespeare
What is The Shakespeare's food hygiene rating?
The Shakespeare has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Cherwell Council on 16 April 2026.
Is The Shakespeare 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 business to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Shakespeare last inspected?
The Shakespeare was last inspected on 16 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cherwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Shakespeare?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Shakespeare compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, while The Shakespeare holds a 4. 157 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Shakespeare 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 Shakespeare and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Shakespeare is one of 260 rated food businesses in Bicester. See every hygiene rating in Bicester →
Cherwell inspects and rates 1,324 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cherwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cherwell.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 →