The Red Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Maidstone
The Red Lion holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 19 November 2025, 7 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: Red Lion, The Square, Lenham, ME17 2PG
How it compares in Maidstone
In Maidstone, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so The Red Lion sits behind roughly 1,136 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,136 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ← The Red Lion | |
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 65 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 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bow Window Cafe And Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| The Dog And Bear Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| Lenham Village Stores Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 25 July 2024 |
| Saxon Warrior Pharmacy Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Cornerhouse Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 August 2024 |
| The Square Fish Cafe Takeaway/sandwich shop | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 13 October 2025 |
| Home Bake Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 11 March 2026 |
| Lenham Farm Shop Retailers - other | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2023 |
Questions about The Red Lion
What is The Red Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Maidstone Council on 19 November 2025.
Is The Red Lion safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Red Lion last inspected?
The Red Lion was last inspected on 19 November 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Lion?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Red Lion compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Lion holds a 4. 165 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Red Lion 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion is one of 20 rated food businesses in Lenham. See every hygiene rating in Lenham →
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.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 →