The Bell food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Central Bedfordshire
The Bell 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 19 June 2025, 12 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: 2 Bedford Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford, MK43 0ND
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
In Central Bedfordshire, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bell sits behind roughly 1,407 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,153 | 76% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 254 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 5% | ← The Bell | |
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 189 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 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 Bell 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 Bell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingle & Caves Retailers - other | 8 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| Village Green Care Home Caring Premises | 8 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| Marston KSP Convenience Store Retailers - other | 106 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2021 |
| Marston Moreteyne VC School School/college/university | 117 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
| Marston Mega Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| Marston Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 227 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 January 2025 |
| Rumbles Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2025 |
| The Co-operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 239 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2024 |
Questions about The Bell
What is The Bell's food hygiene rating?
The Bell has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 19 June 2025.
Is The Bell 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 Bell last inspected?
The Bell was last inspected on 19 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Central Bedfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bell?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Bell compare to other places in Central Bedfordshire?
76% of the 1,520 rated food businesses in Central Bedfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Bell holds a 3. 83 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects The Bell 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 Bell 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 Bell is one of 23 rated food businesses in Marston Moretaine. See every hygiene rating in Marston Moretaine →
Central Bedfordshire inspects and rates 1,709 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Central Bedfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.centralbedfordshire.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 →