The Retreat food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Mid Suffolk
The Retreat 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 23 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 Retreat Inn, The Green, Stowupland, IP14 4AG
How it compares in Mid Suffolk
In Mid Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Retreat sits behind roughly 625 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 625 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 9% | ← The Retreat | |
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 121 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 Good
- 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 Retreat 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 Retreat, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| M and M Butchers Retailers - other | 330 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2026 |
| Central England Cooperative Retailers - other | 376 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2014 |
| The Crown Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Stowupland Pre-School & Mighty Oaks Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2017 |
| Savannah Smoke Grill Ltd Mobile caterer | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2025 |
| Cedrus House Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
Questions about The Retreat
What is The Retreat's food hygiene rating?
The Retreat has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Mid Suffolk Council on 23 August 2024.
Is The Retreat 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 Retreat last inspected?
The Retreat was last inspected on 23 August 2024, 22 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 Retreat?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Retreat compare to other places in Mid Suffolk?
86% of the 730 rated food businesses in Mid Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Retreat holds a 4. 66 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Mid Suffolk Council inspects The Retreat 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 Retreat 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 Retreat is one of 244 rated food businesses in Stowmarket. See every hygiene rating in Stowmarket →
Mid Suffolk inspects and rates 851 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 →