The Black Bull food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · South Cambridgeshire
The Black Bull 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 15 May 2025, 13 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: 27 High Street, Balsham, CB21 4DJ
How it compares in South Cambridgeshire
In South Cambridgeshire, 87% of rated places manage a 5, so The Black Bull sits behind roughly 1,062 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,062 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 121 | 10% | ← The Black Bull | |
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 95 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 The Black Bull 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 Black Bull, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Butchers Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
| Balsham Stores & Post Office Ltd. Retailers - other | 125 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 March 2021 |
| Mays Avenue Coffee Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 271 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2021 |
| The Bell Balsham Pub/bar/nightclub | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
Questions about The Black Bull
What is The Black Bull's food hygiene rating?
The Black Bull has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by South Cambridgeshire Council on 15 May 2025.
Is The Black Bull 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 Black Bull last inspected?
The Black Bull was last inspected on 15 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Cambridgeshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Bull?
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 The Black Bull compare to other places in South Cambridgeshire?
87% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in South Cambridgeshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Bull holds a 4. 121 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Cambridgeshire Council inspects The Black Bull 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 Black Bull 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
South Cambridgeshire inspects and rates 1,316 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Cambridgeshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.scambs.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 →