The Whale Pub food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Buckinghamshire
The Whale Pub holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 25 February 2025, 16 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: 14 Market Hill, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1JX
How it compares in Buckinghamshire
That puts The Whale Pub among the 3,226 places in Buckinghamshire holding top marks, 81% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,226 | 81% | ← The Whale Pub | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 530 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 171 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 42 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 615 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Whale Pub 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 Whale Pub, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Head Buckingham Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Buckingham's Tea Room Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2025 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Subway Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Tesco Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 27 October 2014 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 October 2006 |
| COFFEE#1 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| Smarts Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
Questions about The Whale Pub
What is The Whale Pub's food hygiene rating?
The Whale Pub has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Buckinghamshire Council on 25 February 2025.
Is The Whale Pub safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Whale Pub last inspected?
The Whale Pub was last inspected on 25 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Buckinghamshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Whale Pub?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Whale Pub compare to other places in Buckinghamshire?
81% of the 4,001 rated food businesses in Buckinghamshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Whale Pub is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Buckinghamshire Council inspects The Whale Pub 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 Whale Pub 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 Whale Pub is one of 106 rated food businesses in Buckingham. See every hygiene rating in Buckingham →
Buckinghamshire inspects and rates 4,616 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Buckinghamshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.buckinghamshire.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 →