The Willow Tree food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Bedford
The Willow Tree 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 20 March 2025, 15 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: 1 Hawthorne Drive, Wilstead, MK45 3ES
How it compares in Bedford
In Bedford, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so The Willow Tree sits behind roughly 1,208 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,208 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 164 | 11% | ← The Willow Tree | |
| 3 out of 5 | 72 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 190 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 Very good
- 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 Willow Tree 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 Willow Tree, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Willow Tree Pub/bar/nightclub | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2026 |
| Caterlink Ltd at Wilstead Lower School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| Wilstead Pre-school Play Group Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| 9th Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| Wilstead tandori ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Wilstead Post Office Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2016 |
| Wilstead Bowls Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| The Woolpack Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
Questions about The Willow Tree
What is The Willow Tree's food hygiene rating?
The Willow Tree has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Bedford Council on 20 March 2025.
Is The Willow Tree 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 Willow Tree last inspected?
The Willow Tree was last inspected on 20 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bedford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Willow Tree?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", 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 Willow Tree compare to other places in Bedford?
83% of the 1,460 rated food businesses in Bedford hold the top rating of 5, while The Willow Tree holds a 4. 164 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bedford Council inspects The Willow Tree 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 Willow Tree and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bedford inspects and rates 1,650 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bedford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bedford.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 →