5

Queens Head Inn food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Northumberland

Queens Head Inn 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 11 September 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: Great Whittington, Northumberland, NE19 2HP

How it compares in Northumberland

That puts Queens Head Inn among the 2,779 places in Northumberland holding top marks, 90% 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.

Every rated food business in Northumberland
5 out of 5 2,779 90% ← Queens Head Inn
4 out of 5 214 7%
3 out of 5 67 2%
2 out of 5 7 <1%
1 out of 5 8 <1%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 397 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Queens Head 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 Queens Head Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Northumbrian Bakehouse Limited Manufacturers/packers 0.9 miles away 5 - Very good 16 March 2026
Matfen Village Hall Other catering premises 1.7 miles away Exempt
Matfen Cricket Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.7 miles away Awaiting inspection
Go Ape Retailers - other 1.7 miles away 5 - Very good 19 November 2025
Matfen Hall Hotel Ltd Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house 1.7 miles away 5 - Very good 11 June 2026
The Keepers Lodge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.7 miles away 5 - Very good 11 June 2026
Matfen Village Store & Coffee Shop Retailers - other 1.7 miles away 5 - Very good 20 August 2024
The Black Bull Pub/bar/nightclub 1.7 miles away 5 - Very good 29 June 2023

Questions about Queens Head Inn

What is Queens Head Inn's food hygiene rating?

Queens Head Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 11 September 2025.

Is Queens Head Inn 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 Queens Head Inn last inspected?

Queens Head Inn was last inspected on 11 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Queens Head Inn?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Queens Head Inn compare to other places in Northumberland?

90% of the 3,077 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and Queens Head Inn is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Northumberland Council inspects Queens Head 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 Queens Head Inn 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

Northumberland inspects and rates 3,474 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland

The official record is held by the council: http://www.northumberland.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 →