5

The Book Nook food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · East Hertfordshire

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

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 6 March 2020, more than 6 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: 65 High Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9AD

How it compares in East Hertfordshire

That puts The Book Nook among the 977 places in East Hertfordshire holding top marks, 84% 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 East Hertfordshire
5 out of 5 977 84% ← The Book Nook
4 out of 5 146 13%
3 out of 5 30 3%
2 out of 5 6 1%
1 out of 5 9 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 221 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 Book Nook 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 Book Nook, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Aspire Support Learn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 96 yards away 5 - Very good 27 January 2020
Cafe Bee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 96 yards away 5 - Very good 25 July 2025
Bombay Spice Takeaway/sandwich shop 125 yards away 5 - Very good 11 June 2024
French And Day Delicatessen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 200 yards away 5 - Very good 25 March 2026
Black Cat Caffe Mobile caterer 203 yards away 5 - Very good 4 September 2015
Casa Lua Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 209 yards away 5 - Very good 24 May 2025
Age Concern Caring Premises 246 yards away 5 - Very good 10 January 2012
Burbage Family Butchers Retailers - other 330 yards away 5 - Very good 15 August 2025

Questions about The Book Nook

What is The Book Nook's food hygiene rating?

The Book Nook has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Hertfordshire Council on 6 March 2020.

Is The Book Nook 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Book Nook last inspected?

The Book Nook was last inspected on 6 March 2020, more than 6 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Book Nook?

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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Book Nook compare to other places in East Hertfordshire?

84% of the 1,168 rated food businesses in East Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Book Nook is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

East Hertfordshire Council inspects The Book Nook 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 Book Nook and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Book Nook is one of 216 rated food businesses in Ware. See every hygiene rating in Ware

East Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,389 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hertfordshire

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