The Merchants House food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Herefordshire
The Merchants House holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 26 March 2024, more than 2 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: 10 Corn Square, HR6 8LR
How it compares in Herefordshire
That puts The Merchants House among the 1,217 places in Herefordshire holding top marks, 78% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,217 | 78% | ← The Merchants House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 104 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 195 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 Good
- 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 The Merchants House 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 Merchants House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke's Head Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
| The Square Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2024 |
| Rankin Club (Conservative Club) Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 4 - Good | 14 January 2025 |
| The Press Room Pub/bar/nightclub | 19 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 11 March 2025 |
| Drapers Lane Deli Retailers - other | 32 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 29 January 2025 |
| Coffee#1 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 41 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 6 March 2026 |
| Rayan Mini Market Retailers - other | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2013 |
| Flying Dutchman Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 July 2025 |
Questions about The Merchants House
What is The Merchants House's food hygiene rating?
The Merchants House has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Herefordshire Council on 26 March 2024.
Is The Merchants House safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Merchants House last inspected?
The Merchants House was last inspected on 26 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Herefordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Merchants House?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Merchants House compare to other places in Herefordshire?
78% of the 1,562 rated food businesses in Herefordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Merchants House is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Herefordshire Council inspects The Merchants House 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 Merchants House 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 Merchants House is one of 119 rated food businesses in Leominster. See every hygiene rating in Leominster →
Herefordshire inspects and rates 1,757 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Herefordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.herefordshire.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 →