Birch How food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Cumberland
Birch How holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 18 February 2019, more than 7 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: 41 Station Road, CA12 4NB
How it compares in Cumberland
That puts Birch How among the 2,087 places in Cumberland holding top marks, 84% 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 | 2,087 | 84% | ← Birch How | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 285 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 258 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 Very 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 Birch How 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 Birch How, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keswick Park Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2025 |
| Ciccio Mobile caterer | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 September 2024 |
| Keswick Brewing Co Manufacturers/packers | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 March 2024 |
| Linnett Hill Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 79 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2019 |
| Casa Bella Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2026 |
| Bar Es Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Elm Cafe and Kombucha Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 129 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Good Fettle Coffee Mobile caterer | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 September 2025 |
Questions about Birch How
What is Birch How's food hygiene rating?
Birch How has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cumberland Council on 18 February 2019.
Is Birch How 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Birch How last inspected?
Birch How was last inspected on 18 February 2019, more than 7 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Birch How?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Birch How compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, and Birch How is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects Birch How 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 Birch How and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Birch How is one of 275 rated food businesses in Keswick. See every hygiene rating in Keswick →
Cumberland inspects and rates 2,748 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cumberland.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 →