Bird in Hand food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Central Bedfordshire
Bird in Hand 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 17 October 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Bedford Road, Lower Stondon, Henlow, SG16 6DZ
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
In Central Bedfordshire, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so Bird in Hand sits behind roughly 1,153 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,153 | 76% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 254 | 17% | ← Bird in Hand | |
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 5% | ||
| 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henlow Service Station Retailers - other | 14 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2025 |
| EDDiE FiSH BAR Takeaway/sandwich shop | 119 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Henlow Tandoori Takeaway/sandwich shop | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2025 |
| The Roundabout Henlow Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2025 |
| Chicken n Spice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 161 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| The Flamez Takeaway/sandwich shop | 161 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Fresh Bite Retailers - other | 239 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Merry Poppets Nursery Caring Premises | 259 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
Questions about Bird in Hand
What is Bird in Hand's food hygiene rating?
Bird in Hand has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 17 October 2024.
Is Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand last inspected?
Bird in Hand was last inspected on 17 October 2024, 20 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 Bird in Hand?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand holds a 4. 254 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bird in Hand is one of 577 rated food businesses in Beds. See every hygiene rating in Beds →
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 →