The Queens Head food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Reading
The Queens Head holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Queens Head was inspected on 21 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 6% of rated food businesses in Reading score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Reading ratings →
Address: 54 Christchurch Road, Reading, RG2 7AZ
How this rating has changed
The Queens Head has gone backwards: it held a 2 before its inspection on 21 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2026 | 2 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Reading
A 1 is rare: only 46 of 1,337 rated places in Reading score this low, about one in 29. By contrast 64% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 854 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 144 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 40 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 46 | 3% | ← The Queens Head | |
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 165 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Queens Head the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Queens Head, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmed Superstore Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| 7 Day Local Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2019 |
| Cafe Local Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2026 |
| Apollo Youth Club Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2025 |
| Artisan Loaf Makers Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
| AMT Coffee at Royal Berkshire Hospital Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
| BP Reading Service Station Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 October 2024 |
| Alper Kebabs Mobile Van outside National Tyres Mobile caterer | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2026 |
Questions about The Queens Head
What is The Queens Head's food hygiene rating?
The Queens Head has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Reading Council on 21 July 2026.
Is The Queens Head safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Queens Head last inspected?
The Queens Head was last inspected on 21 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reading Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Queens Head?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Queens Head compare to other places in Reading?
64% of the 1,337 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while The Queens Head holds a 1. 46 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading Council inspects The Queens Head 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 Queens Head and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Reading, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Reading
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Reading inspects and rates 1,502 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reading →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reading.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 →