Old Cock Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
Old Cock 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
This is a fresh result: Old Cock Inn was inspected on 19 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
92% of rated food businesses in St Albans City score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all St Albans City ratings →
Address: The Old Cock Inn, 58 High Street, Harpenden, AL5 2SP
How this rating has changed
Old Cock Inn was re-inspected on 19 August 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 19 August 2026 | 5 5 | Held |
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 St Albans City
That puts Old Cock Inn among the 820 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 | 820 | 77% | ← Old Cock Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 156 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 110 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Old Cock 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 Old Cock Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| COOK Retailers - other | 66 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
| HCL Catering @ St Nicholas C of E V A Primary School/college/university | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2025 |
| Bangkok Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| Grand Trunk Road Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2026 |
| Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2026 |
| Sainsbury's Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 214 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 August 2026 |
| Silver Palate Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| Silver Palate Delicatessen Retailers - other | 273 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
Questions about Old Cock Inn
What is Old Cock Inn's food hygiene rating?
Old Cock Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 19 August 2026.
Is Old Cock 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 Old Cock Inn last inspected?
Old Cock Inn was last inspected on 19 August 2026, within the last month. 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 Old Cock Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Old Cock Inn compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,064 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Old Cock Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Old Cock 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 Old Cock 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Cock Inn is one of 190 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,174 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 →