Sammy’s Hat food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Bedford
Sammy’s Hat holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop 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 8 April 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: 116 Queens Drive, Bedford, MK41 9BS
How it compares in Bedford
In Bedford, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Sammy’s Hat 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% | ← Sammy’s Hat | |
| 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 Sammy’s Hat 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 Sammy’s Hat, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2017 |
| Andys Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Caterplus @ McCarthy & Stone-Oakhill Place Caring Premises | 255 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| Blue Orkids Day Nursery Goldington Caring Premises | 422 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Castle Newnham School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Chiltern Stores Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2023 |
| Co-operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 February 2024 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2020 |
Questions about Sammy’s Hat
What is Sammy’s Hat's food hygiene rating?
Sammy’s Hat has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Bedford Council on 8 April 2025.
Is Sammy’s Hat 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 shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Sammy’s Hat last inspected?
Sammy’s Hat was last inspected on 8 April 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 Sammy’s Hat?
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 Sammy’s Hat compare to other places in Bedford?
83% of the 1,460 rated food businesses in Bedford hold the top rating of 5, while Sammy’s Hat holds a 4. 164 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bedford Council inspects Sammy’s Hat 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 Sammy’s Hat 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 →