The Chequers food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · North Hertfordshire
The Chequers 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 19 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: Chequers Inn London Road, Barley, SG8 8JQ
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
In North Hertfordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Chequers sits behind roughly 789 nearby businesses. 15% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 789 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ← The Chequers | |
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 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 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 Chequers 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 Chequers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fox & Hounds Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Barley C of E School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2019 |
| Barley Post Office & Stores Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 June 2011 |
| Margaret House Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
Questions about The Chequers
What is The Chequers's food hygiene rating?
The Chequers has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 19 March 2025.
Is The Chequers 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 Chequers last inspected?
The Chequers was last inspected on 19 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Chequers?
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 Chequers compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Chequers holds a 4. 155 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects The Chequers 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 Chequers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,120 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →