The Herdsman food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Herefordshire
The Herdsman 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 21 October 2025, 8 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: Old Harp Inn, 54 Widemarsh Street, HR4 9HG
How it compares in Herefordshire
In Herefordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Herdsman 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 Herdsman | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Herdsman 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 Herdsman, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN BBQ & Sushi Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 121 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 131 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| EN Steak Hereford Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| Cosy Club Hereford Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 175 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2025 |
| Ace K9 Doggy Deli Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2024 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2025 |
| Charcuterie-Hereford Retailers - other | 200 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 242 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
Questions about The Herdsman
What is The Herdsman's food hygiene rating?
The Herdsman has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Herefordshire Council on 21 October 2025.
Is The Herdsman 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 Herdsman last inspected?
The Herdsman was last inspected on 21 October 2025, 8 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 Herdsman?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Herdsman compare to other places in Herefordshire?
78% of the 1,562 rated food businesses in Herefordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Herdsman holds a 3. 104 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Herefordshire Council inspects The Herdsman 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 Herdsman 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 Herdsman is one of 542 rated food businesses in Hereford. See every hygiene rating in Hereford →
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 →