The Black Bear food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dudley
The Black Bear holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 30 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: 86 Deepdale Lane, Lower Gornal, Dudley, DY3 2AE
How it compares in Dudley
In Dudley, 62% of rated places manage a 5, so The Black Bear sits behind roughly 1,831 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,343 | 62% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 488 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 248 | 11% | ← The Black Bear | |
| 2 out of 5 | 37 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 502 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Black Bear 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 Black Bear, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast and After School Club School/college/university | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2019 |
| Busy Bees at Dudley Caring Premises | 353 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Candy Cavern Retailers - other | 380 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2021 |
| Aamira Restaurant Ltd t/a Aashiqs Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Alladin's Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2025 |
| Before & After School Club Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2019 |
| bengal flame Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| A Box Full of Happiness Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
Questions about The Black Bear
What is The Black Bear's food hygiene rating?
The Black Bear has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Dudley Council on 30 July 2025.
Is The Black Bear safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Black Bear last inspected?
The Black Bear was last inspected on 30 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dudley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Bear?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Black Bear compare to other places in Dudley?
62% of the 2,161 rated food businesses in Dudley hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Bear holds a 3. 248 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dudley Council inspects The Black Bear 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 Black Bear 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
The Black Bear is one of 67 rated food businesses in Lower Gornal. See every hygiene rating in Lower Gornal →
Dudley inspects and rates 2,663 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dudley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dudley.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 →