The Ship Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Suffolk
The Ship Inn holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 25 February 2026, 4 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: St James Street, Dunwich, Suffolk, IP17 3DT
How it compares in East Suffolk
In East Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Ship Inn sits behind roughly 2,207 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,994 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 213 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ← The Ship Inn | |
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Ship Inn 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 Ship Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dingle Marsh Barns Dunwich Ltd Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2026 |
| The 12 Lost Churches Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| The Yurt Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.5 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The National Trust Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2025 |
| RSPB Cafe At Minsmere Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Green Light Trust School/college/university | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2025 |
| Westleton Village Stores & Post Office Including The Snug Retailers - other | 2.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2022 |
| The Westleton Crown Pub/bar/nightclub | 2.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 5 March 2026 |
Questions about The Ship Inn
What is The Ship Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Ship Inn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by East Suffolk Council on 25 February 2026.
Is The Ship Inn safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Ship Inn last inspected?
The Ship Inn was last inspected on 25 February 2026, 4 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 Ship Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Ship Inn compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,318 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Ship Inn holds a 3. 71 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects The Ship Inn 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 Ship Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →