The Bell Inn food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Mid Suffolk
The Bell Inn holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 26 February 2026, 4 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 Bell Inn. The Bell Inn, The Street, Rickinghall Inferior, IP22 1BN
How it compares in Mid Suffolk
A 2 is rare: only 3 of 728 rated places in Mid Suffolk score this low, about one in 243. 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 | 623 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ← The Bell Inn | |
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 122 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Bell Inn the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Bell Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago's Art Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 145 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| Botesdale Fish and Chip Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| The Baked Apple Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 183 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Blue Orchard Takeaway/sandwich shop | 207 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2024 |
| Botesdale & Rickinghall Pre-School Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2016 |
| Rickinghall Village Hall Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2023 |
| Thai Orchid Food Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 24 August 2024 |
Questions about The Bell Inn
What is The Bell Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Bell Inn has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Mid Suffolk Council on 26 February 2026.
Is The Bell Inn safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Bell Inn last inspected?
The Bell Inn was last inspected on 26 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bell Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Bell Inn compare to other places in Mid Suffolk?
86% of the 728 rated food businesses in Mid Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Bell Inn holds a 2. 3 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Mid Suffolk Council inspects The Bell 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 The Bell 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 2 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 Mid Suffolk, 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: Mid Suffolk
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Bell Inn is one of 34 rated food businesses in Diss. See every hygiene rating in Diss →
Mid Suffolk inspects and rates 850 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midsuffolk.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 →