The Owl food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lichfield
The Owl 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
The rating dates from 18 February 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: London Road, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS14 9QH
How it compares in Lichfield
In Lichfield, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so The Owl sits behind roughly 722 nearby businesses. 7% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 589 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 133 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 53 | 7% | ← The Owl | |
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 76 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Owl 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 Owl, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Edward VI School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
| Anna Seward Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2025 |
| Central England Co-operative Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2024 |
| Busy Bees At Lichfield Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Duke Of Wellington Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2024 |
| Access Bookings Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2025 |
| Brew City Lichfield Manufacturers/packers | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2026 |
| Booze King Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2024 |
Questions about The Owl
What is The Owl's food hygiene rating?
The Owl has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Lichfield Council on 18 February 2026.
Is The Owl 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 Owl last inspected?
The Owl was last inspected on 18 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lichfield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Owl?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Owl compare to other places in Lichfield?
75% of the 785 rated food businesses in Lichfield hold the top rating of 5, while The Owl holds a 3. 53 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Lichfield Council inspects The Owl 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 Owl and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lichfield inspects and rates 861 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lichfield →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lichfielddc.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 →