The Six Bells food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Babergh
The Six Bells 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 28 August 2024, 22 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Six Bells. The Six Bells, The Street, Preston St Mary, CO10 9NG
How it compares in Babergh
In Babergh, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Six Bells sits behind roughly 696 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 696 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 8% | ← The Six Bells | |
| 3 out of 5 | 27 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 74 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 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 Six Bells 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 Six Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cock Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 26 February 2026 |
| Laxfield House Ltd Caring Premises | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| The Salvation Army Other catering premises | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2023 |
| Old Buckenham Hall School/college/university | 1.8 miles away | 4 - Good | 27 February 2026 |
| Monday Lunch Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 July 2021 |
| The Great House Lavenham Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| A.R. Heeks & Son Retailers - other | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Sparling & Faiers Retailers - other | 1.9 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 1 May 2025 |
Questions about The Six Bells
What is The Six Bells's food hygiene rating?
The Six Bells has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Babergh Council on 28 August 2024.
Is The Six Bells 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 Six Bells last inspected?
The Six Bells was last inspected on 28 August 2024, 22 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Babergh Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Six Bells?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Six Bells compare to other places in Babergh?
86% of the 807 rated food businesses in Babergh hold the top rating of 5, while The Six Bells holds a 4. 66 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Babergh Council inspects The Six Bells 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 Six Bells 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 Six Bells is one of 308 rated food businesses in Sudbury. See every hygiene rating in Sudbury →
Babergh inspects and rates 881 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Babergh →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.babergh.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 →