The Bull & Claw food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
The Bull & Claw holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant 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 April 2026, 2 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: 7 Moat Street, Town Parks Of Donaghadee (Main Portion), Donaghadee, BT21 0DA
How it compares in Ards and North Down
In Ards and North Down, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bull & Claw sits behind roughly 1,103 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ← The Bull & Claw | |
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 118 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 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 Bull & Claw 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 Bull & Claw, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Crew House Caring Premises | 75 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 May 2026 |
| Kam Inn Takeaway/sandwich shop | 82 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 28 May 2025 |
| Russells Food & Drink Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 82 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2025 |
| Boardwalk Social Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2026 |
| One Shore Street Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2024 |
| Home Sweet Home Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| J Wright & Son Retailers - other | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| Wok Fusion Takeaway/sandwich shop | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2024 |
Questions about The Bull & Claw
What is The Bull & Claw's food hygiene rating?
The Bull & Claw has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Ards and North Down Council on 21 April 2026.
Is The Bull & Claw safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant 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 Bull & Claw last inspected?
The Bull & Claw was last inspected on 21 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bull & Claw?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Bull & Claw compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,155 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, while The Bull & Claw holds a 3. 43 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects The Bull & Claw 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 Bull & Claw 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 Bull & Claw is one of 884 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,273 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →