Bow Bells food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
Bow Bells holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 31 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: 5 Bow Street, Town Parks Of Donaghadee (Main Portion), Donaghadee, BT21 0HD
How it compares in Ards and North Down
In Ards and North Down, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so Bow Bells sits behind roughly 949 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ← Bow Bells | |
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 118 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Bow Bells 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 Bow Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Stormy Cup Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 59 yards away | 4 - Good | 27 March 2026 |
| The Imperial Caring Premises | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2023 |
| Captains Table Takeaway/sandwich shop | 77 yards away | 4 - Good | 31 December 2024 |
| Harbour and Company Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 77 yards away | 4 - Good | 21 May 2026 |
| Meadowbank Social & Recreation Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 77 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 6 February 2025 |
| Pier 36 & B&B Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 77 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 25 November 2025 |
| Rnli Gift Shop Retailers - other | 77 yards away | Exempt | |
| The Dee-Caf Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 20 March 2026 |
Questions about Bow Bells
What is Bow Bells's food hygiene rating?
Bow Bells has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Ards and North Down Council on 31 March 2026.
Is Bow Bells 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Bow Bells last inspected?
Bow Bells was last inspected on 31 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bow Bells?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bow Bells compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,155 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, while Bow Bells holds a 4. 154 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects Bow Bells 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 Bow Bells and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bow Bells is one of 884 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,273 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →