The Brown Cow food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Rochdale
The Brown Cow holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 26 August 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: 214 Bamford Road, Heywood, OL10 4AA
How it compares in Rochdale
That puts The Brown Cow among the 1,090 places in Rochdale holding top marks, 73% 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 | 1,090 | 73% | ← The Brown Cow | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 216 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 79 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 54 | 4% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 402 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 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 The Brown Cow 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 Brown Cow, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Matters Gym Ltd Retailers - other | 362 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Back O'Th Moss Community Centre Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2025 |
| Cheung Wing Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2024 |
| B & M Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2024 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| Balloons and Scents Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2024 |
| Big Bite Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2023 |
| Caspian Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
Questions about The Brown Cow
What is The Brown Cow's food hygiene rating?
The Brown Cow has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Rochdale Council on 26 August 2025.
Is The Brown Cow 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Brown Cow last inspected?
The Brown Cow was last inspected on 26 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Rochdale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Brown Cow?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 The Brown Cow compare to other places in Rochdale?
73% of the 1,494 rated food businesses in Rochdale hold the top rating of 5, and The Brown Cow is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Rochdale Council inspects The Brown Cow 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 Brown Cow 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 Brown Cow is one of 239 rated food businesses in Heywood. See every hygiene rating in Heywood →
Rochdale inspects and rates 1,896 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Rochdale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rochdale.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 →