The Herbert food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Plymouth City
The Herbert holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 9 April 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: 1 Herbert Street, Plymouth, PL2 1RX
How it compares in Plymouth City
A 1 is rare: only 34 of 1,630 rated places in Plymouth City score this low, about one in 48. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,270 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 97 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 34 | 2% | ← The Herbert | |
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | 1% |
A further 153 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 Major improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Herbert the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. 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 Herbert, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avondale Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 317 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2016 |
| Albert Road Express Retailers - other | 393 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 September 2020 |
| Bag a Baguette Retailers - other | 393 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2025 |
| Benbows Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Balmain Care Homes Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2025 |
| Cafe Indiya Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| Black Dog Honey Bees Ltd Manufacturers/packers | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Brimbles Bakery Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
Questions about The Herbert
What is The Herbert's food hygiene rating?
The Herbert has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Plymouth City Council on 9 April 2025.
Is The Herbert safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Herbert last inspected?
The Herbert was last inspected on 9 April 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Plymouth City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Herbert?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Herbert compare to other places in Plymouth City?
78% of the 1,630 rated food businesses in Plymouth City hold the top rating of 5, while The Herbert holds a 1. 34 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Plymouth City Council inspects The Herbert 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 Herbert 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 1 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 Plymouth City, 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: Plymouth City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Plymouth City inspects and rates 1,783 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Plymouth City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.plymouth.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 →