The Castle Bar food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cumberland
The Castle Bar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 20 January 2025, 17 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: Castle Bar, 14 Market Place, CA13 9NQ
How it compares in Cumberland
That puts The Castle Bar 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% | ← The Castle Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Very 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 Castle Bar 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 Castle Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Allerdale Court & Blocks Steakhouse Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 29 yards away | 4 - Good | 5 November 2025 |
| Yummies Waffles & Shakes Retailers - other | 34 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
| The Coffee Kitchen Bakery Retailers - other | 34 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| Goodness and Grain Retailers - other | 38 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Crooked River Beer Shop Retailers - other | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
| Little Basil Takeaway/sandwich shop | 43 yards away | 4 - Good | 12 February 2025 |
| Fermento - Italian Family Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 49 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
Questions about The Castle Bar
What is The Castle Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Castle Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cumberland Council on 20 January 2025.
Is The Castle Bar 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Castle Bar last inspected?
The Castle Bar was last inspected on 20 January 2025, 17 months 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 The Castle Bar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Castle Bar compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, and The Castle Bar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects The Castle Bar 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 Castle Bar 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 Castle Bar is one of 163 rated food businesses in Cockermouth. See every hygiene rating in Cockermouth →
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 →