The Woodpecker food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · West Berkshire
The Woodpecker 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 5 May 2026, 2 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: The Woodpecker, Wash Water, Newbury, RG20 0LU
How it compares in West Berkshire
In West Berkshire, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Woodpecker sits behind roughly 932 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 932 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 93 | 9% | ← The Woodpecker | |
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 163 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 Woodpecker 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 Woodpecker, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jane's House Montessori Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 January 2026 |
| Newbury Premier Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2026 |
| Broadmead Rest Home Caring Premises | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2026 |
| McDonalds Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2026 |
| John Rankin School Breakfast and After School Club Caring Premises | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2025 |
| Busy Bees At Newbury Caring Premises | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Chartwell & Starbucks @ Newbury College Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2024 |
| Holroyd Howe at St Gabriels School School/college/university | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
Questions about The Woodpecker
What is The Woodpecker's food hygiene rating?
The Woodpecker has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by West Berkshire Council on 5 May 2026.
Is The Woodpecker 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 Woodpecker last inspected?
The Woodpecker was last inspected on 5 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Berkshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Woodpecker?
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 Woodpecker compare to other places in West Berkshire?
86% of the 1,090 rated food businesses in West Berkshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Woodpecker holds a 4. 93 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Berkshire Council inspects The Woodpecker 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 Woodpecker 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 Woodpecker is one of 383 rated food businesses in Newbury. See every hygiene rating in Newbury →
West Berkshire inspects and rates 1,253 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Berkshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westberks.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 →