Play Football Ltd food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Colchester
Play Football Ltd holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 7 November 2025, 8 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: Powerleague Colchester, Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3LE
How it compares in Colchester
A 2 is rare: only 5 of 1,349 rated places in Colchester score this low, about one in 270. By contrast 89% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,200 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ← Play Football Ltd | |
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 302 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 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 Play Football Ltd the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and 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 Play Football Ltd, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Vue Social Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2024 |
| Aramark Ltd @ Colchester Institute School/college/university | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2026 |
| Centre for Hospitalities & Food Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| cafe malabar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 401 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2024 |
| Buzz Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 429 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2025 |
| Caprinos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 437 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2024 |
| Caprinos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 437 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2024 |
| Bar B Q House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2024 |
Questions about Play Football Ltd
What is Play Football Ltd's food hygiene rating?
Play Football Ltd has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Colchester Council on 7 November 2025.
Is Play Football Ltd safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Play Football Ltd last inspected?
Play Football Ltd was last inspected on 7 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Play Football Ltd?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Play Football Ltd compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, while Play Football Ltd holds a 2. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Play Football Ltd 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 Play Football Ltd 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 Colchester, 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: Colchester
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,651 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.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 →