The Old Cathay food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Harlow
The Old Cathay 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 6 March 2025, 16 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: 2 Hart Road, Harlow, Essex, CM17 0HL
How it compares in Harlow
That puts The Old Cathay among the 497 places in Harlow holding top marks, 81% 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 | 497 | 81% | ← The Old Cathay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 78 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 76 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 Old Cathay 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 Old Cathay, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Active Health & Fitness Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2024 |
| Bengal Cottage Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2024 |
| Antico Harlow Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2026 |
| Costa At Tesco Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2017 |
| Dorringtons Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2025 |
| Dee Dees Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 May 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2026 |
| Frostyfields Ltd Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
Questions about The Old Cathay
What is The Old Cathay's food hygiene rating?
The Old Cathay has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Harlow Council on 6 March 2025.
Is The Old Cathay 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 Old Cathay last inspected?
The Old Cathay was last inspected on 6 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harlow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Old Cathay?
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 Old Cathay compare to other places in Harlow?
81% of the 611 rated food businesses in Harlow hold the top rating of 5, and The Old Cathay is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Harlow Council inspects The Old Cathay 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 Old Cathay and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harlow inspects and rates 687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harlow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harlow.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 →