The Cowshed Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Central Bedfordshire
The Cowshed 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 5 December 2024, 19 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Oak Farm, Bedford Road, Northill, SG18 9AW
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
That puts The Cowshed Cafe among the 1,153 places in Central Bedfordshire holding top marks, 76% 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 | 1,153 | 76% | ← The Cowshed Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 254 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 189 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 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 The Cowshed 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 The Cowshed Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northill CE Academy School/college/university | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| The Crown Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Green Goddess Retailers - other | 1.4 miles away | Exempt | |
| Moggerhanger Park Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2026 |
| Ickwell Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| B&B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2016 |
| Franklins of Thorncote Farm Shop Retailers - other | 1.7 miles away | 4 - Good | 30 September 2025 |
| Sue Ryder Care Caring Premises | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
Questions about The Cowshed Cafe
What is The Cowshed Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Cowshed Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 5 December 2024.
Is The Cowshed 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 The Cowshed Cafe last inspected?
The Cowshed Cafe was last inspected on 5 December 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Central Bedfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cowshed Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 The Cowshed Cafe compare to other places in Central Bedfordshire?
76% of the 1,520 rated food businesses in Central Bedfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Cowshed Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects The Cowshed 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 The Cowshed 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
The Cowshed Cafe is one of 64 rated food businesses in Biggleswade. See every hygiene rating in Biggleswade →
Central Bedfordshire inspects and rates 1,709 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Central Bedfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.centralbedfordshire.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 →