5

The Red Lion food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset

The Red Lion holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 12 December 2024, 19 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: 14 The Square, Beaminster, DT8 3AX

How it compares in Dorset

That puts The Red Lion among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in Dorset
5 out of 5 3,808 95% ← The Red Lion
4 out of 5 139 3%
3 out of 5 33 1%
2 out of 5 5 <1%
1 out of 5 3 <1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 1,119 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Greyhound Inn Pub/bar/nightclub 29 yards away 5 - Very good 13 February 2026
Deli on the Square Retailers - other 29 yards away 4 - Good 9 February 2017
Beaminster Community Fridge Other catering premises 48 yards away 5 - Very good 19 May 2026
Mix and Mash Other catering premises 49 yards away Awaiting inspection
Cilla and Camilla Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 61 yards away 5 - Very good 18 February 2026
Co-Operative Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 61 yards away 5 - Very good 3 March 2026
Nick Tett Butchers Ltd Retailers - other 61 yards away 5 - Very good 23 April 2026
Brassica Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 74 yards away 5 - Very good 4 June 2026

Questions about The Red Lion

What is The Red Lion's food hygiene rating?

The Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 12 December 2024.

Is The Red Lion safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Red Lion last inspected?

The Red Lion was last inspected on 12 December 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Red Lion?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Red Lion compare to other places in Dorset?

95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Red Lion is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Dorset Council inspects The Red Lion 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion is one of 39 rated food businesses in Beaminster. See every hygiene rating in Beaminster

Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset

The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →