Shire Horse food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · North Northamptonshire
Shire Horse 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 25 June 2025, 12 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 Shire Horse, 18 Newland Street, Kettering, NN16 8JH
How it compares in North Northamptonshire
That puts Shire Horse among the 2,391 places in North Northamptonshire holding top marks, 85% 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 | 2,391 | 85% | ← Shire Horse | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 283 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 75 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 289 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 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 Shire Horse 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 Shire Horse, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyes Retailers - other | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 September 2025 |
| C C Catering Retailers - other | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2023 |
| Bloom Takeaway/sandwich shop | 125 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2025 |
| Buffalo Chicken Takeaway/sandwich shop | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2025 |
| Boots The Chemist Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 December 2023 |
| Adams Green Grocer Retailers - other | 141 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2022 |
| Cafe CULTURE Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 153 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2025 |
| Cake Inn Retailers - other | 189 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2026 |
Questions about Shire Horse
What is Shire Horse's food hygiene rating?
Shire Horse has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Northamptonshire Council on 25 June 2025.
Is Shire Horse 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 Shire Horse last inspected?
Shire Horse was last inspected on 25 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Northamptonshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Shire Horse?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Shire Horse compare to other places in North Northamptonshire?
85% of the 2,804 rated food businesses in North Northamptonshire hold the top rating of 5, and Shire Horse is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Northamptonshire Council inspects Shire Horse 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 Shire Horse 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
Shire Horse is one of 492 rated food businesses in Kettering. See every hygiene rating in Kettering →
North Northamptonshire inspects and rates 3,093 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Northamptonshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.northnorthants.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 →