The Old Smithy Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Torridge
The Old Smithy Inn holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 26 March 2026, 3 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: The Old Smithy, Welcombe, Bideford, EX39 6HG
How it compares in Torridge
In Torridge, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Old Smithy Inn sits behind roughly 581 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 581 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 59 | 9% | ← The Old Smithy Inn | |
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 96 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Smithy Inn 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 Smithy Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcombe Lunch Club Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2025 |
| Koas Ark & Jolly Roger Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 July 2021 |
| Lower Wembsworthy Farm Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2026 |
| St Marks C Of E Academy School/college/university | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2024 |
| A And S Jeffery Farmers/growers | 2.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2024 |
| Furze Stores And Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Morwenstow Community Centre Other catering premises | 2.0 miles away | Exempt | |
| Kernow Pitsa Mobile caterer | 2.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 August 2023 |
Questions about The Old Smithy Inn
What is The Old Smithy Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Old Smithy Inn has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Torridge Council on 26 March 2026.
Is The Old Smithy Inn safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Old Smithy Inn last inspected?
The Old Smithy Inn was last inspected on 26 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Torridge Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Old Smithy Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Smithy Inn compare to other places in Torridge?
86% of the 679 rated food businesses in Torridge hold the top rating of 5, while The Old Smithy Inn holds a 4. 59 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Torridge Council inspects The Old Smithy Inn 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 Smithy Inn 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 Old Smithy Inn is one of 299 rated food businesses in Bideford. See every hygiene rating in Bideford →
Torridge inspects and rates 775 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Torridge →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.torridge.gov.uk/food
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 →