The Speckled Hen food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
The Speckled Hen 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: The Speckled Hen was inspected on 27 July 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: (formerly The Bunch Of Cherries PH), Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL4 0XG
How this rating has changed
The Speckled Hen has improved: it was rated 4 before its inspection on 27 July 2026, and now holds a 5. That is the highest rating the scheme awards.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 July 2026 | 4 5 | Improved |
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 The Speckled Hen 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% | ← The Speckled Hen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Speckled Hen, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betty's 'Best Before' Bargains Retailers - other | 114 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2025 |
| Chartwells catering @ Beaumont School, School/college/university | 374 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Central Drive Express Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Bean Central Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| Chartwells @ Oaklands College St Albans Campus School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Ab Salute Gym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2026 |
| Beau Sejour Care Services Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2025 |
| Big Juicy Burgers Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2025 |
Questions about The Speckled Hen
What is The Speckled Hen's food hygiene rating?
The Speckled Hen has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 27 July 2026.
Is The Speckled Hen 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 Speckled Hen last inspected?
The Speckled Hen was last inspected on 27 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
How does The Speckled Hen 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 The Speckled Hen is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The Speckled Hen 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 Speckled Hen 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
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 →