Red Lion Hotel food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Colchester
Red Lion Hotel holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 10 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: The Red Lion Hotel, 43 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1DJ
How it compares in Colchester
That puts Red Lion Hotel among the 1,191 places in Colchester holding top marks, 89% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,191 | 89% | ← Red Lion Hotel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 82 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 296 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
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 Red Lion Hotel 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 Red Lion Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Centre Convenience Store Retailers - other | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2025 |
| Chaiiwala Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2024 |
| Bills Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 74 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2024 |
| BakeHouse Express Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2023 |
| Castlegate Day Centre Other catering premises | 128 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Claydons Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2023 |
| Castle Methodist Church Other catering premises | 147 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2022 |
| Chopstix Noodle Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
Questions about Red Lion Hotel
What is Red Lion Hotel's food hygiene rating?
Red Lion Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 10 December 2024.
Is Red Lion Hotel 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Red Lion Hotel last inspected?
Red Lion Hotel was last inspected on 10 December 2024, 19 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 Red Lion Hotel?
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 Red Lion Hotel compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,335 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and Red Lion Hotel is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Red Lion Hotel 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 Red Lion Hotel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,631 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 →