The Hen and Chickens food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Buckinghamshire
The Hen and Chickens holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 16 January 2023, more than 3 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: 119 Botley Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 1XG
How it compares in Buckinghamshire
In Buckinghamshire, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so The Hen and Chickens sits behind roughly 3,756 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,226 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 530 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 171 | 4% | ← The Hen and Chickens | |
| 2 out of 5 | 42 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 615 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Hen and Chickens 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 Hen and Chickens, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culinera at Chesham Grammar School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2024 |
| Aspire - Chiltern Skills & Enterprise Centre School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2024 |
| Heritage House School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Brushwood Junior School (Breakfast Club) School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2023 |
| Culwood House Residential Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 April 2023 |
| Botley Stores Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2012 |
| Jolly Sportsman Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 May 2025 |
| Chesham Food and Wine Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2018 |
Questions about The Hen and Chickens
What is The Hen and Chickens's food hygiene rating?
The Hen and Chickens has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Buckinghamshire Council on 16 January 2023.
Is The Hen and Chickens safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Hen and Chickens last inspected?
The Hen and Chickens was last inspected on 16 January 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Buckinghamshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hen and Chickens?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Hen and Chickens compare to other places in Buckinghamshire?
81% of the 4,001 rated food businesses in Buckinghamshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Hen and Chickens holds a 3. 171 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Buckinghamshire Council inspects The Hen and Chickens 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 Hen and Chickens 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 Hen and Chickens is one of 138 rated food businesses in Chesham. See every hygiene rating in Chesham →
Buckinghamshire inspects and rates 4,616 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Buckinghamshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.buckinghamshire.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 →