The Cotswold Guy food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Cherwell
The Cotswold Guy holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The takeaway 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 24 January 2025, 17 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: 52 Pingle Drive, Bicester, OX26 6WD
How it compares in Cherwell
In Cherwell, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Cotswold Guy sits behind roughly 1,134 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ← The Cotswold Guy | |
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 103 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 Cotswold Guy 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 Cotswold Guy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brilliant Punjabi by Dipna Anand Mobile caterer | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 September 2025 |
| Fortnum & Mason Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Humble Crumble Retailers - other | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 April 2025 |
| Lindt & Sprungli (UK) Ltd Retailers - other | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Creperie Angelie Other catering premises | 142 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Itsu Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| Bear St Bakery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 262 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| Cecconi’s Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 270 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2026 |
Questions about The Cotswold Guy
What is The Cotswold Guy's food hygiene rating?
The Cotswold Guy has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Cherwell Council on 24 January 2025.
Is The Cotswold Guy safe to eat at?
A 3 means the takeaway 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 Cotswold Guy last inspected?
The Cotswold Guy was last inspected on 24 January 2025, 17 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 Cotswold Guy?
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 Cotswold Guy compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, while The Cotswold Guy holds a 3. 65 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Cotswold Guy 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 Cotswold Guy 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 Cotswold Guy is one of 260 rated food businesses in Bicester. See every hygiene rating in Bicester →
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 →