The Merchants Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Rugby
The Merchants Inn holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 5 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: 5A Little Church Street, Rugby, CV21 3AN
How it compares in Rugby
In Rugby, 73% of rated places manage a 5, so The Merchants Inn sits behind roughly 596 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 596 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 127 | 16% | ← The Merchants Inn | |
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 4% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 132 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Merchants Inn 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 Merchants Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffe Vita Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Bull Rugby Pub/bar/nightclub | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 June 2026 |
| Chartwells at the Tuck Shop Rugby School School/college/university | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2025 |
| Chartwells at School House (Rugby School) School/college/university | 143 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2024 |
| DaviDeli Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 147 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2026 |
| Black Swan Pub/bar/nightclub | 171 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 June 2024 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 176 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2024 |
| Dr Noodles Rugby Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2024 |
Questions about The Merchants Inn
What is The Merchants Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Merchants Inn has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Rugby Council on 5 March 2026.
Is The Merchants Inn 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Merchants Inn last inspected?
The Merchants Inn was last inspected on 5 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Rugby Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Merchants Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Merchants Inn compare to other places in Rugby?
73% of the 819 rated food businesses in Rugby hold the top rating of 5, while The Merchants Inn holds a 4. 127 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Rugby Council inspects The Merchants 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 The Merchants Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Rugby inspects and rates 951 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Rugby →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rugby.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 →