The Goat Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
The Goat Inn holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 19 July 2025, 11 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: 37 Sopwell Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1RN
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts The Goat Inn among the 818 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 77% 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 | 818 | 77% | ← The Goat Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 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 Goat 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 Goat Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Food London Road Retailers - other | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Ballo Foods Retailers - other | 253 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Boha Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 288 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2023 |
| Books on the Hill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 304 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 December 2023 |
| Al Farid Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2026 |
| Brad and Dills Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 309 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2026 |
| Baruccio Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 313 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Chez Mumtaj Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 331 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
Questions about The Goat Inn
What is The Goat Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Goat Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 19 July 2025.
Is The Goat Inn 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Goat Inn last inspected?
The Goat Inn was last inspected on 19 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Goat Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Goat Inn compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and The Goat Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The Goat 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 Goat 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
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →