Hen and Chicken Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Hampshire
Hen and Chicken Inn holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 8 April 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.
Only 1% of rated food businesses in East Hampshire score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all East Hampshire ratings →
Address: Hen & Chicken Ryebridge Lane, Upper Froyle, Alton, GU34 4JH
How it compares in East Hampshire
A 2 is rare: only 3 of 977 rated places in East Hampshire score this low, about one in 326. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 824 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 117 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ← Hen and Chicken Inn | |
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 117 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Hen and Chicken Inn the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Questions about Hen and Chicken Inn
What is Hen and Chicken Inn's food hygiene rating?
Hen and Chicken Inn has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by East Hampshire Council on 8 April 2026.
Is Hen and Chicken Inn safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Hen and Chicken Inn last inspected?
Hen and Chicken Inn was last inspected on 8 April 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hampshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hen and Chicken Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hen and Chicken Inn compare to other places in East Hampshire?
84% of the 977 rated food businesses in East Hampshire hold the top rating of 5, while Hen and Chicken Inn holds a 2. 3 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Hampshire Council inspects Hen and Chicken Inn 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 Hen and Chicken Inn 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 2 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 East Hampshire, 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: East Hampshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hen and Chicken Inn is one of 249 rated food businesses in Alton. See every hygiene rating in Alton →
East Hampshire inspects and rates 1,094 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hampshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.easthants.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 →