The Horse and Groom food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Exeter City
The Horse and Groom holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 19 March 2025, 15 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 Horse And Groom, 50-52 Fore Street, Heavitree, EX1 2QL
How it compares in Exeter City
In Exeter City, 87% of rated places manage a 5, so The Horse and Groom sits behind roughly 958 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 870 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 88 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ← The Horse and Groom | |
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Horse and Groom 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 Horse and Groom, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Pharmacy Heavitree Retailers - other | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 July 2024 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 July 2018 |
| Cafe RILD Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Caterlink @ Ladysmith Junior School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Choy's Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Cha Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2024 |
| Budgens Magdalen Road Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2025 |
| Bon Gout Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
Questions about The Horse and Groom
What is The Horse and Groom's food hygiene rating?
The Horse and Groom has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Exeter City Council on 19 March 2025.
Is The Horse and Groom safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Horse and Groom last inspected?
The Horse and Groom was last inspected on 19 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Exeter City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Horse and Groom?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Horse and Groom compare to other places in Exeter City?
87% of the 999 rated food businesses in Exeter City hold the top rating of 5, while The Horse and Groom holds a 3. 30 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Exeter City Council inspects The Horse and Groom 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 Horse and Groom 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 Horse and Groom is one of 21 rated food businesses in Heavitree. See every hygiene rating in Heavitree →
Exeter City inspects and rates 1,110 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Exeter City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.exeter.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 →