The Blackstone Bar food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Mid and East Antrim
The Blackstone Bar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 26 August 2025, 10 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: 15-17 Hill Street, Ballymena, BT43 6BH
How it compares in Mid and East Antrim
That puts The Blackstone Bar among the 936 places in Mid and East Antrim holding top marks, 93% 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 | 936 | 93% | ← The Blackstone Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 57 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 147 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 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 Blackstone Bar 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 Blackstone Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fil Asian Delights Retailers - other | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Cellar 13 Retailers - other | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
| Fairhill Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2025 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Burger King Takeaway/sandwich shop | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2026 |
| Caffe Tosca Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Bob and Berts Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 218 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| Follow Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 238 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2024 |
Questions about The Blackstone Bar
What is The Blackstone Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Blackstone Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Mid and East Antrim Council on 26 August 2025.
Is The Blackstone Bar 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Blackstone Bar last inspected?
The Blackstone Bar was last inspected on 26 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid and East Antrim Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Blackstone Bar?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Blackstone Bar compare to other places in Mid and East Antrim?
93% of the 1,011 rated food businesses in Mid and East Antrim hold the top rating of 5, and The Blackstone Bar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Mid and East Antrim Council inspects The Blackstone Bar 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 Blackstone Bar 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 Blackstone Bar is one of 942 rated food businesses in Antrim. See every hygiene rating in Antrim →
Mid and East Antrim inspects and rates 1,158 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid and East Antrim →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midandeastantrim.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 →