The Plough food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cherwell
The Plough holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This rating dates from 6 August 2025, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: 63 North Street, Bicester, OX26 6NB
How it compares in Cherwell
In Cherwell, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Plough sits behind roughly 977 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 13% | ← The Plough | |
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 103 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 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 Plough 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 Plough, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Garden Takeaway/sandwich shop | 213 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2024 |
| 102 Gradi ltd @ The Angel Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Jack and Jill Pre School School/college/university | 250 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Caprinos Takeaway/sandwich shop | 258 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Bocabicester Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 280 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2026 |
| Denis Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 282 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2023 |
| Mizu Japanese Izakaya Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 292 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Bicester Christian Action Limited Retailers - other | 292 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2022 |
Questions about The Plough
What is The Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Plough has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Cherwell Council on 6 August 2025.
Is The Plough 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Plough last inspected?
The Plough was last inspected on 6 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cherwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Plough?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Plough compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, while The Plough holds a 4. 157 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Plough 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 Plough 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 Plough is one of 260 rated food businesses in Bicester. See every hygiene rating in Bicester →
Cherwell inspects and rates 1,324 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cherwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cherwell.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 →