Esquires food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Central Bedfordshire
Esquires holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 29 May 2025, 13 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: 3-5 Market Square, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 1EU
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
In Central Bedfordshire, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so Esquires sits behind roughly 1,153 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,153 | 76% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 254 | 17% | ← Esquires | |
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 189 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 Esquires 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 Esquires, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2023 |
| Greggs PLC Retailers - other | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| North Sea Fish and Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 73 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2024 |
| Bianco Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 82 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2025 |
| Chicken Treat Takeaway/sandwich shop | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| Dessert Disco Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 August 2023 |
| Leighton Linslade Community Fridge Retailers - other | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Funky Snake Escape Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2025 |
Questions about Esquires
What is Esquires's food hygiene rating?
Esquires has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 29 May 2025.
Is Esquires 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Esquires last inspected?
Esquires was last inspected on 29 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Central Bedfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Esquires?
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 Esquires compare to other places in Central Bedfordshire?
76% of the 1,520 rated food businesses in Central Bedfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while Esquires holds a 4. 254 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects Esquires 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 Esquires and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Esquires is one of 93 rated food businesses in Leighton Buzzard. See every hygiene rating in Leighton Buzzard →
Central Bedfordshire inspects and rates 1,709 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Central Bedfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.centralbedfordshire.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 →