The Sober Sailor food hygiene rating
Mobile caterer · St Albans City
The Sober Sailor holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the mobile caterer met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 18 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Ground Floor, 444 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL4 0XS
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts The Sober Sailor 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 Sober Sailor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Sober Sailor 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 Sober Sailor, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betty's 'Best Before' Bargains Retailers - other | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2025 |
| Chartwells catering @ Beaumont School, School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Chartwells @ Oaklands College St Albans Campus School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Central Drive Express Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Bean Central Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| Ab Salute Gym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2026 |
| Beau Sejour Care Services Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2025 |
| Cafe Pausa @ Dunelm Mill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
Questions about The Sober Sailor
What is The Sober Sailor's food hygiene rating?
The Sober Sailor has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 18 March 2024.
Is The Sober Sailor 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 mobile caterer to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Sober Sailor last inspected?
The Sober Sailor was last inspected on 18 March 2024, more than 2 years 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 Sober Sailor?
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 Sober Sailor 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 Sober Sailor is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The Sober Sailor 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 Sober Sailor 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 →