Average food hygiene rating for hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses revealed across the UK, as over 95% score a 4 or a 5
FSA data analysis shows UK hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses average a 4.79 food hygiene rating, with 95.5% scoring 4 or 5, outperforming restaurants and other food business types.
Photo by High Speed Training
The average food hygiene rating for hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses across the UK has been revealed, thanks to a report from leading online training provider High Speed Training.
The report, which analysed Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, found that the average food hygiene rating for hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses was an impressive 4.79. An outstanding 84.90% (8,914 establishments) received the top score of 5.
This marks a slight improvement on the 2025 High Speed Training report, where the score was 4.78, showing that this sector's already high standards continue to rise. In total, a combined 10,030 establishments, or 95.53% of the category, scored a high rating of either 4 or 5.
Hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses performed exceptionally well compared to other business types. Their average of 4.79 is significantly higher than restaurants, cafes and canteens, which received an average score of 4.59 in the 2026 analysis. Just 4.47% establishments in the hotel sector scored a 3 or below, less than half the figure seen in the restaurant category (10.56%).
Only 7 hotels, B&Bs or guesthouses (0.07%) received a zero for their hygiene rating. This is a tiny fraction compared to the 278 (0.24%) zero-rated restaurants, 166 (0.33%) zero-rated takeaways, and 50 (0.11%) zero-rated pubs recorded in this year's data.
When looking at all food businesses together, the top-scoring region was the South West, with an average rating of 4.69 from over 21,000 premises. This was followed by the North East (4.66), Northern Ireland (4.65) and the East Midlands (4.64).
London had the lowest average rating in the study, with a score of 4.39, though the area had by far the most establishments, with almost 37,000 premises (36,804) contributing to the rating.
East Counties town Ipswich and North West seaside town Southport topped the individual rankings, with a highly impressive 4.92 out of 5, closely followed by Chichester (4.91), Stockton-on-Tees (4.86), and Lincoln (4.85).
The bottom three were Wigan (4.06), Bolton (4.03), and Walsall (4.03).
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is a partnership with local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that was launched in 2010. It replaced a number of regional schemes, with the aim of providing hygiene information clearly and more effectively across the UK.
Following regular inspections, ratings are devised based on the standard of food handling hygiene, the physical condition of the premises and facilities and food safety management practices.
These ratings are then made available on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website and are usually visible from outside of the premises, often presented in a window near the entrance.
In Wales and Northern Ireland, it is compulsory for businesses to display their food hygiene rating. However, in England it is currently just considered best practice.
High Speed Training’s report is now in its 5th consecutive year, and over this time, average ratings across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have increased, from an average of 4.49 in 2022 to 4.58 in 2026. The average rating rose each year, apart from 2024, when it fell slightly to 4.47.
All but one of the analysed regions improved their rating from 2022 to 2026, with the West Midlands and the North East sharing the biggest increase in average rating, a rise of 0.10.
The only region to record a drop in average rating over the 5-year period was Northern Ireland, dropping by 0.04, though it is worth noting that Northern Ireland has been a strong performer in the context of all the regions analysed, taking the top region spot twice and never dropping out of the top 3 since 2022.
Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. Over the last 5 years, we have seen trends broadly improve across the whole of the UK, which is a really positive sign. These ratings are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates, and we urge businesses and customers to take them seriously.
For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, and may have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.
Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2025. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to not only performing well as a business, but attracting and retaining customers.
We would urge customers to always check the food hygiene ratings of establishments they wish to dine at, as it allows them to make an informed decision when choosing where to eat.
Dr Richard Anderson, Director of Learning at High Speed Training
To view the report in full, and to see how your area compares to others, please visit www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/food-hygiene-ratings-report
About High Speed Training
High Speed Training is a leading online training provider, dedicated to empowering learners in the workplace and beyond. They make compliance and learning simple, straightforward and engaging by delivering accredited digital training that helps people to be engaged, effective and safe.
With over 4 million learners supported to date, High Speed Training works with industry experts and specialists to provide up-to-date thinking and relevant, useful knowledge and deliver practical and user-friendly learning content across all devices.
Founded in 2008, the Yorkshire-based company delivers more than 170 specialist courses for the professional services, hospitality, food manufacture, logistics, education, construction, and health and social care sectors, as well as covering topics including health and safety, food hygiene, risk and compliance management, safeguarding, personal development and core skills.
Since 2023, High Speed training has been an employee-owned trust, and is now wholly owned by its employees, enabling staff to have a financial and directional say in how the business operates.
In 2023, High Speed Training won the Learning Technologies Organisation of the Year award, and won the First Class E-Learning Large Provider of the Year award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in 2023 and 2024.
All of High Speed Training’s courses meet Continuing Professional Development guidelines and are accredited by the CPD Certification Service. All of their online courses are independently checked and approved by recognised authorities such as CPD, RoSPA, IATP, IIRSM and the Institute of Hospitality.
In 2025, High Speed Training placed 3rd in the Best Education and Training organisations in the UK to work for, 6th in the Yorkshire and Humberside Best Companies to work for and 7th in the Top 50 Best Mid Sized companies to work for in the UK.