The Welcome food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Suffolk
The Welcome 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 13 January 2026, 5 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: 182 London Road North, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1HB
How it compares in East Suffolk
That puts The Welcome among the 1,994 places in East Suffolk holding top marks, 86% 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 | 1,994 | 86% | ← The Welcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 213 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 201 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 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 Welcome 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 Welcome, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolly's Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 December 2025 |
| Brew & Bites Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 143 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| Bargain Point Retailers - other | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 January 2020 |
| Cards Direct Retailers - other | 178 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 April 2017 |
| B & M Retail Limited Retailers - other | 178 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 July 2023 |
| Biggs Fish Ltd Mobile caterer | 207 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2025 |
| Christ Church Hall Other catering premises | 241 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2018 |
| A Piece Of Cake Takeaway/sandwich shop | 263 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 October 2025 |
Questions about The Welcome
What is The Welcome's food hygiene rating?
The Welcome has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Suffolk Council on 13 January 2026.
Is The Welcome 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 Welcome last inspected?
The Welcome was last inspected on 13 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Welcome?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Welcome compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,318 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, and The Welcome is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects The Welcome 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 Welcome 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 Welcome is one of 573 rated food businesses in Lowestoft. See every hygiene rating in Lowestoft →
East Suffolk inspects and rates 2,519 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastsuffolk.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 →