The Golden Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Central Bedfordshire
The Golden Lion 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 2 May 2025, 14 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: 22 Church Street, Clifton, Shefford, SG17 5ES
How it compares in Central Bedfordshire
In Central Bedfordshire, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so The Golden Lion 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% | ← The Golden Lion | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton All Saints Academy School/college/university | 99 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| J W Baxter Butchers Retailers - other | 136 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Dawn Until Dusk Ltd Caring Premises | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| The Admiral Pub/bar/nightclub | 185 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2024 |
| Tesco Express Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 291 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2025 |
| Clifton Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 321 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Home Farm Trust Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2024 |
| Best Nursery (Shefford) Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2025 |
Questions about The Golden Lion
What is The Golden Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Golden Lion has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Central Bedfordshire Council on 2 May 2025.
Is The Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion last inspected?
The Golden Lion was last inspected on 2 May 2025, 14 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 Golden Lion?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion holds a 4. 254 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Central Bedfordshire Council inspects The Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion is one of 36 rated food businesses in Shefford. See every hygiene rating in Shefford →
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 →