The Puffing Billy food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Torridge
The Puffing Billy holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 24 February 2026, 4 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: Puffing Billy, Torrington, Devon, EX38 8JD
How it compares in Torridge
That puts The Puffing Billy among the 581 places in Torridge holding top marks, 86% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 581 | 86% | ← The Puffing Billy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 59 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 94 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 Good
- 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 Puffing Billy 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 Puffing Billy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Milk Cart Ltd Mobile caterer | 0.4 miles away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 26 March 2026 |
| Fairways Catering Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Woodland Vale CCSC Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Lidl Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Torrington Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| Pavillions Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 4 - Good | 23 September 2025 |
| Torridge Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 11 December 2024 |
| Torrington Methodist Church Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | Awaiting inspection |
Questions about The Puffing Billy
What is The Puffing Billy's food hygiene rating?
The Puffing Billy has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Torridge Council on 24 February 2026.
Is The Puffing Billy 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Puffing Billy last inspected?
The Puffing Billy was last inspected on 24 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Torridge Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Puffing Billy?
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 Puffing Billy compare to other places in Torridge?
86% of the 679 rated food businesses in Torridge hold the top rating of 5, and The Puffing Billy is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Torridge Council inspects The Puffing Billy 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 Puffing Billy 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 Puffing Billy is one of 47 rated food businesses in Torrington. See every hygiene rating in Torrington →
Torridge inspects and rates 773 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Torridge →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.torridge.gov.uk/food
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 →