Bow Bells food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
Bow Bells holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 26 September 2025, 9 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 Green Road, Conlig, Newtownards, BT23 7PZ
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 1,103 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ← Bow Bells | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centra - Conlig Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| ANDBC Com Dev Foodshare Distributors/Transporters | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2024 |
| Bangor Foodbank and Community Support Distributors/Transporters | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2023 |
| Clandeboye Golf Club - R.S Young Catering Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Clandeboye Golf Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 May 2024 |
| Centra Balloo Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2026 |
| Clean Cut Cuisine Ltd Manufacturers/packers | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2024 |
| Avenue Nutrition Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
Questions about Bow Bells
What is Bow Bells's food hygiene rating?
Bow Bells has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Ards and North Down Council on 26 September 2025.
Is Bow Bells safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Bow Bells last inspected?
Bow Bells was last inspected on 26 September 2025, 9 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 "generally satisfactory", 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 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 3. 43 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 →