The Hedgehog food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Welwyn Hatfield
The Hedgehog holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 24 October 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Shoplands, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7RH
How it compares in Welwyn Hatfield
A 1 is rare: only 4 of 651 rated places in Welwyn Hatfield score this low, about one in 163. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 510 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 104 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 31 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ← The Hedgehog | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 107 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 Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Hedgehog the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Hedgehog, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hakalok Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2024 |
| Homerswood Primary and Nursery School School/college/university | 265 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Knightsfield Preschoolers School/college/university | 265 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 September 2025 |
| Harwood Hill JMI and Nursery School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2025 |
| Digswell Park Sports Association Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2026 |
| Monks Walk School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2024 |
| Busy Bees Nursery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Annabel School Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2023 |
Questions about The Hedgehog
What is The Hedgehog's food hygiene rating?
The Hedgehog has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Welwyn Hatfield Council on 24 October 2024.
Is The Hedgehog safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Hedgehog last inspected?
The Hedgehog was last inspected on 24 October 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Welwyn Hatfield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hedgehog?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Hedgehog compare to other places in Welwyn Hatfield?
78% of the 651 rated food businesses in Welwyn Hatfield hold the top rating of 5, while The Hedgehog holds a 1. 4 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Welwyn Hatfield Council inspects The Hedgehog 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 Hedgehog and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Welwyn Hatfield, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Welwyn Hatfield
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Hedgehog is one of 229 rated food businesses in Welwyn Garden City. See every hygiene rating in Welwyn Garden City →
Welwyn Hatfield inspects and rates 758 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Welwyn Hatfield →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.welhat.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 →