The Plough food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dacorum
The Plough 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 28 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: The Plough, Leverstock Green Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8PR
How it compares in Dacorum
In Dacorum, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so The Plough sits behind roughly 1,056 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 864 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 192 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 55 | 5% | ← The Plough | |
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 137 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 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 Plough 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 Plough, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxterstorey LTD Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
| Aldi Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2026 |
| Adeyfield Free Church Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2024 |
| Adeyfield Academy School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| BP Breakspear Way SF Connect Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Baxter Storey Ltd - Henkel Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2026 |
| Breakspear Park Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Deshi Spice Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2025 |
Questions about The Plough
What is The Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Plough has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Dacorum Council on 28 February 2026.
Is The Plough 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 Plough last inspected?
The Plough was last inspected on 28 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dacorum Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Plough?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Plough compare to other places in Dacorum?
77% of the 1,123 rated food businesses in Dacorum hold the top rating of 5, while The Plough holds a 3. 55 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dacorum Council inspects The Plough 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 Plough 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 Plough is one of 634 rated food businesses in Hemel Hempstead. See every hygiene rating in Hemel Hempstead →
Dacorum inspects and rates 1,260 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dacorum →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dacorum.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 →