The Black Bull food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Cherwell
The Black Bull holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 10 March 2026, 4 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: 2 Banbury Road, Kidlington, OX5 2BT
How it compares in Cherwell
That puts The Black Bull among the 977 places in Cherwell holding top marks, 80% 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 | 977 | 80% | ← The Black Bull | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 103 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 Black Bull 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 Black Bull, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Black Horse Other catering premises | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2024 |
| Koopa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2025 |
| Express BBQ Pizza / Kidlington Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Iceland Frozen Foods Plc Retailers - other | 100 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2015 |
| Fresh Start Catering @ North Kidlington Primary School School/college/university | 124 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
| The Burrow Other catering premises | 124 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Red Lion Retailers - other | 132 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2025 |
| Co-op Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 160 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2023 |
Questions about The Black Bull
What is The Black Bull's food hygiene rating?
The Black Bull has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cherwell Council on 10 March 2026.
Is The Black Bull 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Black Bull last inspected?
The Black Bull was last inspected on 10 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cherwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Bull?
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 Black Bull compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, and The Black Bull is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Black Bull 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 Black Bull 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 Black Bull is one of 87 rated food businesses in Kidlington. See every hygiene rating in Kidlington →
Cherwell inspects and rates 1,324 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cherwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cherwell.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 →