The Milling Barn food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · East Hertfordshire
The Milling Barn holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 May 2025, 14 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: Bluntswood Hall, Cottered Road, Throcking, SG9 9RN
How it compares in East Hertfordshire
That puts The Milling Barn among the 977 places in East Hertfordshire holding top marks, 84% 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 | 977 | 84% | ← The Milling Barn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 146 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 221 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 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 The Milling Barn 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 Milling Barn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freman College School/college/university | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| Edwinstree Middle School School/college/university | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2024 |
| The Shell Shack Retailers - other | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| The Countryman Tea Rooms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2024 |
| Sainsbury's Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 April 2024 |
| M Doel Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 12 June 2025 |
| The Buntingford Coffee Shop Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 15 May 2025 |
| The Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.3 miles away | Awaiting inspection |
Questions about The Milling Barn
What is The Milling Barn's food hygiene rating?
The Milling Barn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Hertfordshire Council on 2 May 2025.
Is The Milling Barn 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Milling Barn last inspected?
The Milling Barn was last inspected on 2 May 2025, 14 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Milling Barn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Milling Barn compare to other places in East Hertfordshire?
84% of the 1,168 rated food businesses in East Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Milling Barn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Hertfordshire Council inspects The Milling Barn 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 Milling Barn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
East Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,389 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastherts.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 →