4

Blue Bell food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Northumberland

Blue Bell 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

The rating dates from 26 October 2018, more than 7 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 32 Albert Street, Amble, Northumberland, NE65 0LU

How it compares in Northumberland

In Northumberland, 90% of rated places manage a 5, so Blue Bell sits behind roughly 2,775 nearby businesses. 7% of the borough shares its 4.

Every rated food business in Northumberland
5 out of 5 2,775 90%
4 out of 5 214 7% ← Blue Bell
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 393 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 Blue Bell 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 Blue Bell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Gill Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop at this address 5 - Very good 21 May 2025
Amble Bowling Club Pub/bar/nightclub 170 yards away 5 - Very good 22 June 2023
Sacred Heart & St Cuthberts Other catering premises 170 yards away 5 - Very good 6 February 2020
Amble Masonic Hall Pub/bar/nightclub 173 yards away 5 - Very good 25 April 2023
Barndale House School Other catering premises 211 yards away 5 - Very good 17 June 2025
James Calvert Spence College School/college/university 211 yards away 5 - Very good 22 June 2023
King Edwin Primary School School/college/university 211 yards away 5 - Very good 17 June 2025
Kayleigh's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 275 yards away 5 - Very good 1 August 2024

Questions about Blue Bell

What is Blue Bell's food hygiene rating?

Blue Bell has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Northumberland Council on 26 October 2018.

Is Blue Bell 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 Blue Bell last inspected?

Blue Bell was last inspected on 26 October 2018, more than 7 years 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 Blue Bell?

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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Blue Bell compare to other places in Northumberland?

90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, while Blue Bell holds a 4. 214 places in the area share that rating.

Who decides the rating?

Northumberland Council inspects Blue Bell 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 Blue Bell and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Blue Bell is one of 114 rated food businesses in Amble. See every hygiene rating in Amble

Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 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 →