The Mermaid Fish Bar food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · East Suffolk
The Mermaid Fish Bar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 17 March 2026, 3 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: 125 Bridge Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 9JU
How it compares in East Suffolk
That puts The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 Mermaid Fish Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Mermaid Fish Bar 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 Mermaid Fish Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 142 Cafe And Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Broadview Pub/bar/nightclub | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2026 |
| Flames Other catering premises | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2025 |
| Candyworld Mobile caterer | 336 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2024 |
| Bridge Road Mini Market Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2026 |
| Bridge Road Premier Store Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| China Garden Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2025 |
| Dinky Town Play Cafe / Enchanted Kingdom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
Questions about The Mermaid Fish Bar
What is The Mermaid Fish Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Mermaid Fish Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Suffolk Council on 17 March 2026.
Is The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Mermaid Fish Bar last inspected?
The Mermaid Fish Bar was last inspected on 17 March 2026, 3 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 Mermaid Fish Bar?
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 Mermaid Fish Bar 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 Mermaid Fish Bar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects The Mermaid Fish Bar 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 Mermaid Fish Bar 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 Mermaid Fish Bar 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 →