The Horsebox Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Kirklees
The Horsebox Cafe holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 11 May 2026, 2 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: Unit 1, Steps Industrial Park, Magdale, HD9 6RA
How it compares in Kirklees
A 2 is rare: only 49 of 3,633 rated places in Kirklees score this low, about one in 74. By contrast 74% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,676 | 74% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 658 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 191 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 49 | 1% | ← The Horsebox Cafe | |
| 1 out of 5 | 57 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 202 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Horsebox Cafe 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.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Horsebox Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asda Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2023 |
| Braise Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2025 |
| Bancha Honley Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2024 |
| Armitage Bridge Craft Centre Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2026 |
| Blue Tiger Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 April 2026 |
| Armitage Bridge Monkey Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2012 |
Questions about The Horsebox Cafe
What is The Horsebox Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Horsebox Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Kirklees Council on 11 May 2026.
Is The Horsebox Cafe safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 The Horsebox Cafe last inspected?
The Horsebox Cafe was last inspected on 11 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Kirklees Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Horsebox Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Horsebox Cafe compare to other places in Kirklees?
74% of the 3,633 rated food businesses in Kirklees hold the top rating of 5, while The Horsebox Cafe holds a 2. 49 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Kirklees Council inspects The Horsebox Cafe 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 Horsebox Cafe 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 Kirklees, 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: Kirklees
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Kirklees inspects and rates 3,835 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Kirklees →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.kirklees.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 →