Old Five Bells food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · West Northamptonshire
Old Five Bells holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 4 May 2023, more than 3 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: 84a Harborough Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, NN2 8DH
How it compares in West Northamptonshire
In West Northamptonshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so Old Five Bells sits behind roughly 2,943 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,565 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 378 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 251 | 8% | ← Old Five Bells | |
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 43 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 9 | <1% |
A further 772 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Old Five Bells 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 Old Five Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizi Italian Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 291 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 January 2024 |
| 3rd Friday Lunch Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 340 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
| Boughton Lodge Caring Premises | 395 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2023 |
| BP Harborough Simply Food Connect Retailers - other | 423 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2022 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| ALDI Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2025 |
| Asda Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2025 |
Questions about Old Five Bells
What is Old Five Bells's food hygiene rating?
Old Five Bells has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by West Northamptonshire Council on 4 May 2023.
Is Old Five Bells safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Old Five Bells last inspected?
Old Five Bells was last inspected on 4 May 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Northamptonshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Five Bells?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Old Five Bells compare to other places in West Northamptonshire?
78% of the 3,285 rated food businesses in West Northamptonshire hold the top rating of 5, while Old Five Bells holds a 3. 251 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Northamptonshire Council inspects Old Five Bells 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 Old Five Bells and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Five Bells is one of 1,617 rated food businesses in Northampton. See every hygiene rating in Northampton →
West Northamptonshire inspects and rates 4,057 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Northamptonshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.westnorthants.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 →