The Black Horse PH food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Hertfordshire
The Black Horse PH 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 16 October 2025, 8 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: Black Horse, 29-31 West Street, Hertford, SG13 8EZ
How it compares in East Hertfordshire
In East Hertfordshire, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so The Black Horse PH sits behind roughly 977 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 146 | 13% | ← The Black Horse PH | |
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 221 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Black Horse PH 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 Horse PH, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Stores Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2020 |
| Ashbourne Day Nursery Hertford School/college/university | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2024 |
| BEAM Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2024 |
| Elle's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 April 2024 |
| Hertfordshire Country Markets Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2009 |
| 19/29 Cocktail Shop Manufacturers/packers | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2025 |
| Blackbirds Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2026 |
| Cafe Santiago Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2025 |
Questions about The Black Horse PH
What is The Black Horse PH's food hygiene rating?
The Black Horse PH has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Hertfordshire Council on 16 October 2025.
Is The Black Horse PH 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 The Black Horse PH last inspected?
The Black Horse PH was last inspected on 16 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Horse PH?
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 The Black Horse PH compare to other places in East Hertfordshire?
84% of the 1,168 rated food businesses in East Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Horse PH holds a 4. 146 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Hertfordshire Council inspects The Black Horse PH 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 Horse PH 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 Black Horse PH is one of 255 rated food businesses in Hertford. See every hygiene rating in Hertford →
East Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,389 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastherts.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 →