The Brown Cow food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Bury
The Brown Cow 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 January 2025, 17 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: Brown Cow, Woodhill Road, Burrs, BL8 1DA
How it compares in Bury
In Bury, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so The Brown Cow sits behind roughly 963 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 828 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 135 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 92 | 8% | ← The Brown Cow | |
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 126 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alison Kirton Retailers - other | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2025 |
| Brandlesholme Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2025 |
| Burrswood House Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Cosalea Brandlesholme Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 July 2025 |
| Bank House Care Home Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| Chatterbox Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Chesham County Primary School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2024 |
| Bradshaw House Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2020 |
Questions about The Brown Cow
What is The Brown Cow's food hygiene rating?
The Brown Cow has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Bury Council on 21 January 2025.
Is The Brown Cow 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 Brown Cow last inspected?
The Brown Cow was last inspected on 21 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bury 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 "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 Brown Cow compare to other places in Bury?
75% of the 1,110 rated food businesses in Bury hold the top rating of 5, while The Brown Cow holds a 3. 92 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bury 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
Bury inspects and rates 1,236 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bury →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bury.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 →