The Old Smithy food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Stafford
The Old Smithy holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 28 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: 8-12 Castle Street, Eccleshall, ST21 6DF
How it compares in Stafford
In Stafford, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Old Smithy sits behind roughly 778 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 778 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 14% | ← The Old Smithy | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Old Smithy 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 Old Smithy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Pillars Wine Retailers - other | 39 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Courtyard Coffee Retailers - other | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2024 |
| Olive Italian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| Flour & Co Bakehouse Manufacturers/packers | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 April 2026 |
| Chocbox Retailers - other | 76 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Bell at Eccleshall Pub/bar/nightclub | 83 yards away | 4 - Good | 25 September 2024 |
| Balti Palace Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Eccleshall Fish & Chip Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 97 yards away | 4 - Good | 27 April 2026 |
Questions about The Old Smithy
What is The Old Smithy's food hygiene rating?
The Old Smithy has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Stafford Council on 28 January 2026.
Is The Old Smithy safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Old Smithy last inspected?
The Old Smithy was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 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 Old Smithy?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Old Smithy compare to other places in Stafford?
80% of the 976 rated food businesses in Stafford hold the top rating of 5, while The Old Smithy holds a 4. 139 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Stafford Council inspects The Old Smithy 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 Old Smithy 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 Old Smithy is one of 31 rated food businesses in Eccleshall. See every hygiene rating in Eccleshall →
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 →