The 1971 food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · St Albans City
The 1971 holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 9 March 2026, 4 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: 36 Station Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4ST
How it compares in St Albans City
In St Albans City, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so The 1971 sits behind roughly 818 nearby businesses. 15% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ← The 1971 | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 1971 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 1971, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact Food Group @ Harpenden Academy School/college/university | 49 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Pasta Cibo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2024 |
| Paya Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2026 |
| Graffiti Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2022 |
| R & M Family Butchers Retailers - other | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Bright Horizons Harpenden Central; Caring Premises | 100 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
Questions about The 1971
What is The 1971's food hygiene rating?
The 1971 has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by St Albans City Council on 9 March 2026.
Is The 1971 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The 1971 last inspected?
The 1971 was last inspected on 9 March 2026, 4 months 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 1971?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 The 1971 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, while The 1971 holds a 4. 157 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects The 1971 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 1971 and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The 1971 is one of 193 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
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 →