The Knot and Plough food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Stafford
The Knot and Plough holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 25 October 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Beacon Business Park, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0WL
How it compares in Stafford
That puts The Knot and Plough among the 778 places in Stafford holding top marks, 80% 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 | 778 | 80% | ← The Knot and Plough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 38 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 158 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 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 Knot and Plough 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 Knot and Plough, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-operative Retailers - other | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| Costa Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 253 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Dudley's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2026 |
| Cornwells Chemists Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2023 |
| Bingley Hall Cafe (Balcony) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2024 |
| Bingley Hall Farm Shop Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 March 2025 |
| Grandstand Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2026 |
| Everest Grocery Store Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2025 |
Questions about The Knot and Plough
What is The Knot and Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Knot and Plough has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Stafford Council on 25 October 2024.
Is The Knot and Plough 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Knot and Plough last inspected?
The Knot and Plough was last inspected on 25 October 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Stafford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Knot and Plough?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Knot and Plough compare to other places in Stafford?
80% of the 976 rated food businesses in Stafford hold the top rating of 5, and The Knot and Plough is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Stafford Council inspects The Knot and Plough 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 Knot and Plough and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Stafford inspects and rates 1,134 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Stafford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.staffordbc.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 →