The Balance Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Herefordshire
The Balance Inn 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 5 March 2026, 4 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: The Balance Inn, HR6 0EB
How it compares in Herefordshire
In Herefordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Balance Inn sits behind roughly 1,431 nearby businesses. 7% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,217 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 104 | 7% | ← The Balance Inn | |
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Balance Inn 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 Balance Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luston Primary School - Orleton School Food Company School/college/university | 292 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Quarry Farm Shop Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 6 May 2026 |
| Servant's Hall Tea Room Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2024 |
| Gallery Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
| The Bell Yarpole Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Yarpole Community Shop Retailers - other | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2012 |
| Oaker Wood Leisure Ltd Other catering premises | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2025 |
| Aladdins Retailers - other | 2.2 miles away | 4 - Good | 21 March 2025 |
Questions about The Balance Inn
What is The Balance Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Balance Inn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Herefordshire Council on 5 March 2026.
Is The Balance Inn 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 Balance Inn last inspected?
The Balance Inn was last inspected on 5 March 2026, 4 months 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 Balance Inn?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Balance Inn compare to other places in Herefordshire?
78% of the 1,562 rated food businesses in Herefordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Balance Inn holds a 3. 104 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Herefordshire Council inspects The Balance Inn 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 Balance Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →