The Library food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Oxford City
The Library 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
This is a fresh result: The Library was inspected on 21 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 182 Cowley Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1UE
How it compares in Oxford City
In Oxford City, 87% of rated places manage a 5, so The Library sits behind roughly 1,206 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,206 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 116 | 8% | ← The Library | |
| 3 out of 5 | 32 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 156 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 Good
- 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 Library 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 Library, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghan Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2024 |
| Alders Butchers Retailers - other | 206 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 July 2025 |
| Antep Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
| Bodrum Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 July 2025 |
| Cafe Baba Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2024 |
| Bigfoot Pub/bar/nightclub | 301 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2026 |
| Arbequina Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 436 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
| Baltic Food Retailers - other | 436 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2024 |
Questions about The Library
What is The Library's food hygiene rating?
The Library has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Oxford City Council on 21 May 2026.
Is The Library 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 Library last inspected?
The Library was last inspected on 21 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Oxford City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Library?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Library compare to other places in Oxford City?
87% of the 1,381 rated food businesses in Oxford City hold the top rating of 5, while The Library holds a 4. 116 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Oxford City Council inspects The Library 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 Library 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
Oxford City inspects and rates 1,537 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Oxford City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.oxford.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 →