The Black Bull Bar And Bistro food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Newark and Sherwood
The Black Bull Bar And Bistro holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 5 September 2025, 10 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: Main Street, Blidworth, NG21 0QH
How it compares in Newark and Sherwood
A 2 is rare: only 17 of 1,046 rated places in Newark and Sherwood score this low, about one in 62. By contrast 87% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 906 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 79 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ← The Black Bull Bar And Bistro | |
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 82 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Black Bull Bar And Bistro the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Black Bull Bar And Bistro, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood Oaks Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2025 |
| The Fish Net Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 August 2025 |
| Blidworth Premier Convenience Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 4 - Good | 10 October 2023 |
| Voltz Bikes Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2024 |
| Keebles Butchers Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 4 - Good | 13 April 2026 |
| The Cedars Residential Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2025 |
| Lees Garden Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
| M And S Local And Blidworth Post Office Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
Questions about The Black Bull Bar And Bistro
What is The Black Bull Bar And Bistro's food hygiene rating?
The Black Bull Bar And Bistro has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Newark and Sherwood Council on 5 September 2025.
Is The Black Bull Bar And Bistro safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Black Bull Bar And Bistro last inspected?
The Black Bull Bar And Bistro was last inspected on 5 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newark and Sherwood Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Bull Bar And Bistro?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Black Bull Bar And Bistro compare to other places in Newark and Sherwood?
87% of the 1,046 rated food businesses in Newark and Sherwood hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Bull Bar And Bistro holds a 2. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newark and Sherwood Council inspects The Black Bull Bar And Bistro 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 Black Bull Bar And Bistro and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Newark and Sherwood, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Newark and Sherwood
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Black Bull Bar And Bistro is one of 23 rated food businesses in Blidworth. See every hygiene rating in Blidworth →
Newark and Sherwood inspects and rates 1,128 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newark and Sherwood →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newark-sherwooddc.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 →