Kings Head Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Babergh
Kings Head Inn 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: Kings Head Inn was inspected on 17 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 115 Bures Road, Great Cornard, Sudbury, CO10 0JE
How it compares in Babergh
A 1 is rare: only 8 of 806 rated places in Babergh score this low, about one in 101. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 696 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 27 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ← Kings Head Inn | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 73 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 Kings Head Inn 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 Kings Head Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Centre Other catering premises | 394 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2012 |
| Agape Cafe Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2025 |
| Crocus Great Cornard Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Co-operative Food Group Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2026 |
| Co-operative Retail Services Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2024 |
| AFC Cornard Dynamos Youth Football Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2024 |
| Argos Ltd Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2017 |
| Sainsbury's Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
Questions about Kings Head Inn
What is Kings Head Inn's food hygiene rating?
Kings Head Inn has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Babergh Council on 17 May 2026.
Is Kings Head Inn 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 Kings Head Inn last inspected?
Kings Head Inn was last inspected on 17 May 2026, a month 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 Kings Head Inn?
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 Kings Head Inn compare to other places in Babergh?
86% of the 806 rated food businesses in Babergh hold the top rating of 5, while Kings Head Inn holds a 1. 8 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Babergh Council inspects Kings Head Inn 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 Kings Head Inn 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 Babergh, 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: Babergh
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Kings Head Inn is one of 307 rated food businesses in Sudbury. See every hygiene rating in Sudbury →
Babergh inspects and rates 879 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 →