The Bell Hotel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · West Suffolk
The Bell Hotel holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 29 August 2024, 22 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Bell Hotel, 12 Market Hill, Clare, CO10 8NN
How it compares in West Suffolk
In West Suffolk, 91% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bell Hotel sits behind roughly 1,349 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,349 | 91% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 91 | 6% | ← The Bell Hotel | |
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 241 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Bell Hotel 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 Bell Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| J R Humphrey & Sons Ltd Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2025 |
| Tuckermans Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2024 |
| Clare Trading Post Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 22 yards away | 4 - Good | 20 March 2025 |
| Smalltown Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 55 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2025 |
| Clare Town Hall Other catering premises | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 April 2013 |
| Luna Moon Takeaway/sandwich shop | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 December 2023 |
| The Pear Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2025 |
Questions about The Bell Hotel
What is The Bell Hotel's food hygiene rating?
The Bell Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by West Suffolk Council on 29 August 2024.
Is The Bell Hotel safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Bell Hotel last inspected?
The Bell Hotel was last inspected on 29 August 2024, 22 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bell Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Bell Hotel compare to other places in West Suffolk?
91% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in West Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Bell Hotel holds a 4. 91 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Suffolk Council inspects The Bell Hotel 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 Bell Hotel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Bell Hotel is one of 33 rated food businesses in Clare. See every hygiene rating in Clare →
West Suffolk inspects and rates 1,724 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westsuffolk.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 →