The Saracens Head Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Buckinghamshire
The Saracens Head Inn holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Saracens Head Inn was inspected on 28 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Buckinghamshire score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Buckinghamshire ratings →
Address: The Saracens Head Public House, 38 Whielden Street, Amersham, HP7 0HU
How this rating has changed
The Saracens Head Inn has gone backwards: it held a 3 before its inspection on 28 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 28 July 2026 | 3 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Buckinghamshire
A 1 is rare: only 32 of 4,041 rated places in Buckinghamshire score this low, about one in 126. By contrast 81% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,260 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 537 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 166 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 43 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 32 | 1% | ← The Saracens Head Inn | |
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 542 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Saracens Head Inn the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Saracens Head Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mughal Palace Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 175 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
| KokoS at 1 The Broadway Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 194 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Gershon & Sons Retailers - other | 203 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| Kings Chapel Other catering premises | 254 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2019 |
| Caterplus @ McCarthy & Stone Chiltern Place Caring Premises | 280 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2026 |
| Ollie Owl Day Nursery Caring Premises | 281 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 January 2023 |
| Costa Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 431 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2023 |
| Day Nursery Amersham Hospital Caring Premises | 436 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2024 |
Questions about The Saracens Head Inn
What is The Saracens Head Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Saracens Head Inn has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Buckinghamshire Council on 28 July 2026.
Is The Saracens Head Inn safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Saracens Head Inn last inspected?
The Saracens Head Inn was last inspected on 28 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Buckinghamshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Saracens Head Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Saracens Head Inn compare to other places in Buckinghamshire?
81% of the 4,041 rated food businesses in Buckinghamshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Saracens Head Inn holds a 1. 32 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Buckinghamshire Council inspects The Saracens Head 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 Saracens Head Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Buckinghamshire, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Buckinghamshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Saracens Head Inn is one of 148 rated food businesses in Amersham. See every hygiene rating in Amersham →
Buckinghamshire inspects and rates 4,583 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Buckinghamshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.buckinghamshire.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 →