The Bell food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Bedford
The Bell 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 31 March 2025, 15 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 Bell 81 High Street, Odell, MK43 7AS
How it compares in Bedford
In Bedford, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bell sits behind roughly 1,372 nearby businesses. 5% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,208 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 164 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 72 | 5% | ← The Bell | |
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 190 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 Bell 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 Bell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westwood Farm & Nursery Farmers/growers | 0.8 miles away | Exempt | |
| Spices of paradise Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 28 April 2026 |
| Harrold Centre Café Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2024 |
| The Oakley Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Harry Brown Butchers Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| The Muntjac Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 4 - Good | 27 August 2025 |
| The Royal Oak Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2026 |
| Carlton Village Shop Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 11 August 2025 |
Questions about The Bell
What is The Bell's food hygiene rating?
The Bell has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Bedford Council on 31 March 2025.
Is The Bell 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 Bell last inspected?
The Bell was last inspected on 31 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bedford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bell?
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 Bell compare to other places in Bedford?
83% of the 1,460 rated food businesses in Bedford hold the top rating of 5, while The Bell holds a 3. 72 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bedford Council inspects The Bell 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 Bell 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bedford inspects and rates 1,650 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bedford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bedford.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 →