The Highwayman Hotel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cherwell
The Highwayman Hotel holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 19 August 2025, 10 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 Highwayman Hotel 249 Banbury Road, Kidlington, OX5 1BF
How it compares in Cherwell
That puts The Highwayman Hotel among the 977 places in Cherwell holding top marks, 80% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 80% | ← The Highwayman Hotel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 103 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 Very good
- 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 Highwayman Hotel 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 Highwayman Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add Extra Years Retailers - other | 184 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2021 |
| Bankside Bites (Takeway) Takeaway/sandwich shop | 184 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2025 |
| Broche Retailers - other | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Co-op Swift Shop Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2024 |
| Sortlist Ltd Distributors/Transporters | 231 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2025 |
| Oxford Diocesan Board Of Finance Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 293 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2025 |
| Natural Foundation Supplements Importers/Exporters | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| The Jolly Boatman Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
Questions about The Highwayman Hotel
What is The Highwayman Hotel's food hygiene rating?
The Highwayman Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cherwell Council on 19 August 2025.
Is The Highwayman Hotel safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Highwayman Hotel last inspected?
The Highwayman Hotel was last inspected on 19 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cherwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Highwayman Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Highwayman Hotel compare to other places in Cherwell?
80% of the 1,221 rated food businesses in Cherwell hold the top rating of 5, and The Highwayman Hotel is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cherwell Council inspects The Highwayman Hotel 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 Highwayman Hotel 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Highwayman Hotel is one of 87 rated food businesses in Kidlington. See every hygiene rating in Kidlington →
Cherwell inspects and rates 1,324 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cherwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cherwell.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 →