The Jolly Boatman food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cherwell
The Jolly Boatman holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 12 January 2026, 6 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: The Jolly Boatman 216 Banbury Road, Thrupp, OX5 1JU
How it compares in Cherwell
That puts The Jolly Boatman among the 977 places in Cherwell holding top marks, 80% 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 | 977 | 80% | ← The Jolly Boatman | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 107 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 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 Jolly Boatman 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 Jolly Boatman, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Boat Inn Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 413 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2024 |
| The Highwayman Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Oxford Diocesan Board Of Finance Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2025 |
| Annies Tearoom Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2025 |
| The Early Years Nursery Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Bankside Bites (Takeway) Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2025 |
| Sortlist Ltd Distributors/Transporters | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2025 |
| Add Extra Years Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2021 |
Questions about The Jolly Boatman
What is The Jolly Boatman's food hygiene rating?
The Jolly Boatman has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cherwell Council on 12 January 2026.
Is The Jolly Boatman 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Jolly Boatman last inspected?
The Jolly Boatman was last inspected on 12 January 2026, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cherwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Jolly Boatman?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Jolly Boatman compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,217 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, and The Jolly Boatman is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Jolly Boatman 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 Jolly Boatman and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cherwell inspects and rates 1,324 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cherwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cherwell.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 →