The Black Boy food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
The Black Boy 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 13 April 2024, more than 2 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: The Black Boy Ph, 79 Old Watford Road, Bricket Wood, AL2 3RU
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts The Black Boy among the 818 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 77% 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 | 818 | 77% | ← The Black Boy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Black Boy 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 Black Boy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bricket Wood Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2025 |
| Classic Service Station Retailers - other | 288 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2024 |
| Bricket Wood Care Caring Premises | 346 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2026 |
| Bricket Wood Social Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2024 |
| Allington Court Care Home - BUPA Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
| Alida Event Catering Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
| Costcutter Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Bluebells Tea Rooms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
Questions about The Black Boy
What is The Black Boy's food hygiene rating?
The Black Boy has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 13 April 2024.
Is The Black Boy 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 Black Boy last inspected?
The Black Boy was last inspected on 13 April 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Boy?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Black Boy compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and The Black Boy is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The Black Boy 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 Black Boy 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 Black Boy is one of 23 rated food businesses in Bricket Wood. See every hygiene rating in Bricket Wood →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →