5

The Poachers food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · South Ribble

The Poachers holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 21 January 2026, 5 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 Poachers Tavern, Lostock Lane, Bamber Bridge, PR5 6BA

How it compares in South Ribble

That puts The Poachers among the 689 places in South Ribble holding top marks, 95% 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.

Every rated food business in South Ribble
5 out of 5 689 95% ← The Poachers
4 out of 5 18 2%
3 out of 5 15 2%
2 out of 5 2 <1%
1 out of 5 4 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 97 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Poachers 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 Poachers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen at this address 5 - Very good 8 January 2026
Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 211 yards away 5 - Very good 16 May 2024
Bridgeway School School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 5 February 2026
Brindle Brothers Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 22 October 2019
Best One Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 9 June 2026
Bamber Bridge Methodist Church Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 16 October 2025
Bamber Bridge Conservative Club Pub/bar/nightclub 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 11 September 2018
Berry's Pies Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 23 January 2025

Questions about The Poachers

What is The Poachers's food hygiene rating?

The Poachers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Ribble Council on 21 January 2026.

Is The Poachers 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Poachers last inspected?

The Poachers was last inspected on 21 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Ribble Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Poachers?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Poachers compare to other places in South Ribble?

95% of the 728 rated food businesses in South Ribble hold the top rating of 5, and The Poachers is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

South Ribble Council inspects The Poachers 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 Poachers 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 Poachers is one of 109 rated food businesses in Bamber Bridge. See every hygiene rating in Bamber Bridge

South Ribble inspects and rates 825 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Ribble

The official record is held by the council: http://www.southribble.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 →