The Orange Tree food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · North Hertfordshire
The Orange Tree 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 15 October 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Orange Tree 100 Stevenage Road, Hitchin, SG4 9DR
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
That puts The Orange Tree among the 789 places in North Hertfordshire holding top marks, 78% 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 | 789 | 78% | ← The Orange Tree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 Orange Tree 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 Orange Tree, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP Oakfields Takeaway/sandwich shop | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2014 |
| Highbury Post Office Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2024 |
| Highbury Infant School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2025 |
| Food Rescue Hub CIC Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2022 |
| Asda Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| BB's Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 April 2024 |
| Hitchin Girls School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2024 |
| Hot Wok Chinese Kitchen Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2026 |
Questions about The Orange Tree
What is The Orange Tree's food hygiene rating?
The Orange Tree has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 15 October 2024.
Is The Orange Tree 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 Orange Tree last inspected?
The Orange Tree was last inspected on 15 October 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Orange Tree?
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 Orange Tree compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Orange Tree is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects The Orange Tree 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 Orange Tree 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 Orange Tree is one of 307 rated food businesses in Hitchin. See every hygiene rating in Hitchin →
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,120 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →