Bird in Hand Inn food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Somerset
Bird in Hand Inn 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 15 April 2026, 3 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 Bird In Hand Inn, 34 Mount Street, Bishops Lydeard, TA4 3LH
How it compares in Somerset
That puts Bird in Hand Inn among the 4,825 places in Somerset holding top marks, 87% 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 | 4,825 | 87% | ← Bird in Hand Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 541 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 92 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 557 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 Very 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 Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Street Garage Ltd Retailers - other | 170 yards away | Exempt | |
| Katy's House Childminding Caring Premises | 202 yards away | Exempt | |
| Bishops Lydeard Primary School School/college/university | 210 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2026 |
| Bishops Lydeard Mill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 266 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2024 |
| The Lethbridge Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 274 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| China Cottage Takeaway/sandwich shop | 274 yards away | 4 - Good | 19 September 2024 |
| The Paper Shop Retailers - other | 391 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2026 |
| Co-operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 392 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2024 |
Questions about Bird in Hand Inn
What is Bird in Hand Inn's food hygiene rating?
Bird in Hand Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Somerset Council on 15 April 2026.
Is Bird in Hand Inn 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 Bird in Hand Inn last inspected?
Bird in Hand Inn was last inspected on 15 April 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Somerset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bird in Hand Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Bird in Hand Inn compare to other places in Somerset?
87% of the 5,515 rated food businesses in Somerset hold the top rating of 5, and Bird in Hand Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Somerset Council inspects Bird in Hand 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 Bird in Hand 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
Bird in Hand Inn is one of 639 rated food businesses in Taunton. See every hygiene rating in Taunton →
Somerset inspects and rates 6,072 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Somerset →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.somerset.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 →