The Three Horseshoes food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
The Three Horseshoes 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
The rating dates from 10 July 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: 616 Hatfield Road, Smallford, St Albans, AL4 0HP
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts The Three Horseshoes 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 Three Horseshoes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Three Horseshoes 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 Three Horseshoes, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Pausa @ Dunelm Mill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Chartwells @ Oaklands College St Albans Campus School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Cafe Sport Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2025 |
| Cafe Ambition Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2024 |
Questions about The Three Horseshoes
What is The Three Horseshoes's food hygiene rating?
The Three Horseshoes has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 10 July 2024.
Is The Three Horseshoes 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 Three Horseshoes last inspected?
The Three Horseshoes was last inspected on 10 July 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 Three Horseshoes?
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 Three Horseshoes 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 Three Horseshoes is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The Three Horseshoes 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 Three Horseshoes 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 1,163 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 →