The Guild Merchant food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Preston
The Guild Merchant 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 19 March 2026, 3 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: 440 Tag Lane, Preston, PR2 7AB
How it compares in Preston
That puts The Guild Merchant among the 1,176 places in Preston holding top marks, 79% 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 | 1,176 | 79% | ← The Guild Merchant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 103 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 129 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Guild Merchant 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 Guild Merchant, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2024 |
| Ashbourne Day Nursery Caring Premises | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Breakfast Club School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2023 |
| Building Blocks Childcare Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2025 |
Questions about The Guild Merchant
What is The Guild Merchant's food hygiene rating?
The Guild Merchant has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Preston Council on 19 March 2026.
Is The Guild Merchant 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 Guild Merchant last inspected?
The Guild Merchant was last inspected on 19 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Preston Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Guild Merchant?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Guild Merchant compare to other places in Preston?
79% of the 1,498 rated food businesses in Preston hold the top rating of 5, and The Guild Merchant is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Preston Council inspects The Guild Merchant 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 Guild Merchant and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Preston inspects and rates 1,627 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Preston →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.preston.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 →