The Motte and Bailey food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · North Hertfordshire
The Motte and Bailey holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub 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
This is a fresh result: The Motte and Bailey was inspected on 2 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Motte And Bailey 1 Great Green, Pirton, SG5 3QD
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
In North Hertfordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Motte and Bailey sits behind roughly 944 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 789 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ← The Motte and Bailey | |
| 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 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 Motte and Bailey 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 Motte and Bailey, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mojoe’s Caribbean Cuisine Takeaway/sandwich shop | 409 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| Holwell Bowls Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2005 |
| African Caribbean Seniors & Carers Luncheon Club Caring Premises | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Letchworth Foodbank Retailers - other | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2024 |
| Holme Farm Manufacturers/packers | 2.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2018 |
| Bamboo Tree Takeaway/sandwich shop | 2.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| Dan's Van Mobile caterer | 2.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2025 |
| Atlantic Bay Takeaway/sandwich shop | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2025 |
Questions about The Motte and Bailey
What is The Motte and Bailey's food hygiene rating?
The Motte and Bailey has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 2 June 2026.
Is The Motte and Bailey safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub 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 Motte and Bailey last inspected?
The Motte and Bailey was last inspected on 2 June 2026, a month 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 Motte and Bailey?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Motte and Bailey 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 Motte and Bailey holds a 3. 48 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects The Motte and Bailey 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 Motte and Bailey 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 →