Birchwood Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Welwyn Hatfield
Birchwood Cafe 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 11 July 2024, more than 2 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: 14 Birchwood Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0PW
How it compares in Welwyn Hatfield
That puts Birchwood Cafe among the 510 places in Welwyn Hatfield holding top marks, 78% 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 | 510 | 78% | ← Birchwood Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 105 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 107 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 Very 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 Birchwood Cafe 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 Birchwood Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birchwood Avenue Breakfast Club School/college/university | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 September 2018 |
| Birchwood Nursery School School/college/university | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Gather & Gather Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2024 |
| Artisan Chocolaterie-Best cakes in town Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2011 |
| Aaroh Foods Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2023 |
| Care Tech Community Services Ltd Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Erol's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2024 |
| Franks Pool Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2022 |
Questions about Birchwood Cafe
What is Birchwood Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Birchwood Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Welwyn Hatfield Council on 11 July 2024.
Is Birchwood Cafe 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 Birchwood Cafe last inspected?
Birchwood Cafe was last inspected on 11 July 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Welwyn Hatfield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Birchwood Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Birchwood Cafe compare to other places in Welwyn Hatfield?
78% of the 651 rated food businesses in Welwyn Hatfield hold the top rating of 5, and Birchwood Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Welwyn Hatfield Council inspects Birchwood Cafe 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 Birchwood Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Birchwood Cafe is one of 249 rated food businesses in Hatfield. See every hygiene rating in Hatfield →
Welwyn Hatfield inspects and rates 758 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Welwyn Hatfield →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.welhat.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 →