5

Simmons Bakers food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · St Albans City

Simmons Bakers holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 9 December 2025, 7 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: 1 Piggottshill Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 1LG

How it compares in St Albans City

That puts Simmons Bakers 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.

Every rated food business in St Albans City
5 out of 5 818 77% ← Simmons Bakers
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

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 Simmons Bakers 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 Simmons Bakers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Bentozo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 92 yards away 5 - Very good 18 April 2026
Co-op Food Harpenden Retailers - other 92 yards away 5 - Very good 20 February 2025
Cafe Aroma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 92 yards away 5 - Very good 18 December 2024
Lazy Bear Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 108 yards away 5 - Very good 6 June 2024
Harpenden Springs Care Home Caring Premises 165 yards away 5 - Very good 18 March 2026
Fusion Childcare Services Caring Premises 416 yards away 5 - Very good 2 February 2026
CareTech - Meadow Acres Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 11 July 2025
Harpenden Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 31 May 2025

Questions about Simmons Bakers

What is Simmons Bakers's food hygiene rating?

Simmons Bakers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 9 December 2025.

Is Simmons Bakers 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Simmons Bakers last inspected?

Simmons Bakers was last inspected on 9 December 2025, 7 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 Simmons Bakers?

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

How does Simmons Bakers 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 Simmons Bakers is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

St Albans City Council inspects Simmons Bakers 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 Simmons Bakers and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Simmons Bakers 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 →