The Longholme food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Bedford
The Longholme holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 12 October 2025, 9 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: Cafe at Boating Lake the Embankment, Bedford, MK40 3QF
How it compares in Bedford
That puts The Longholme among the 1,208 places in Bedford holding top marks, 83% 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 | 1,208 | 83% | ← The Longholme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 164 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 72 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 190 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Longholme 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 Longholme, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben’s Biltong T/A F Harris and Sons Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2025 |
| A Casa asa di Anna Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 March 2026 |
| Angelo's Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| Castle Road Stores Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2017 |
| B&M Retail Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2015 |
| Caffe Pausa at Dunelm Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 October 2025 |
| Cappuccino Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Cater for occasions Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
Questions about The Longholme
What is The Longholme's food hygiene rating?
The Longholme has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Bedford Council on 12 October 2025.
Is The Longholme 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Longholme last inspected?
The Longholme was last inspected on 12 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bedford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Longholme?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Longholme compare to other places in Bedford?
83% of the 1,460 rated food businesses in Bedford hold the top rating of 5, and The Longholme is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Bedford Council inspects The Longholme 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 Longholme and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bedford inspects and rates 1,650 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bedford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bedford.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 →