The Folly food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · West Northamptonshire
The Folly 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 18 July 2024, 23 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: Folly Inn, London Road, Towcester, NN12 6LB
How it compares in West Northamptonshire
That puts The Folly among the 2,565 places in West Northamptonshire holding top marks, 78% 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 | 2,565 | 78% | ← The Folly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 378 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 251 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 43 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 9 | <1% |
A further 772 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 Folly 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 Folly, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orchestrate Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2026 |
| Fresh Start Catering Ltd School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Country Comforts Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2026 |
| Chans Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| Ozzy's Express Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Towcester Tots Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| KidsStop Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2024 |
| ABM Catering Limited School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2024 |
Questions about The Folly
What is The Folly's food hygiene rating?
The Folly has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by West Northamptonshire Council on 18 July 2024.
Is The Folly 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 Folly last inspected?
The Folly was last inspected on 18 July 2024, 23 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Northamptonshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Folly?
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 Folly compare to other places in West Northamptonshire?
78% of the 3,285 rated food businesses in West Northamptonshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Folly is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
West Northamptonshire Council inspects The Folly 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 Folly 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 Folly is one of 90 rated food businesses in Towcester. See every hygiene rating in Towcester →
West Northamptonshire inspects and rates 4,057 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Northamptonshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.westnorthants.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 →