The Crusty Loaf food hygiene rating
Manufacturers/packers · Colchester
The Crusty Loaf holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The food producer met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 16 September 2025, 9 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: 9 The Centre, New Road, Tiptree, CO5 0HF
How it compares in Colchester
In Colchester, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so The Crusty Loaf sits behind roughly 1,283 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,200 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ← The Crusty Loaf | |
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Crusty Loaf 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 Crusty Loaf, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza town and kebab house Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Iceland Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | Exempt | |
| Tiptree Community Centre Other catering premises | 98 yards away | Exempt | |
| Direct pizza company Takeaway/sandwich shop | 106 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2025 |
| Gardenia Takeaway/sandwich shop | 106 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Tiptree chef Other catering premises | 106 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Dear Grace Home and Gift Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 107 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
Questions about The Crusty Loaf
What is The Crusty Loaf's food hygiene rating?
The Crusty Loaf has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Colchester Council on 16 September 2025.
Is The Crusty Loaf safe to eat at?
A 3 means the food producer met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Crusty Loaf last inspected?
The Crusty Loaf was last inspected on 16 September 2025, 9 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 The Crusty Loaf?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Crusty Loaf compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, while The Crusty Loaf holds a 3. 50 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects The Crusty Loaf 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 Crusty Loaf 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 Crusty Loaf is one of 51 rated food businesses in Tiptree. See every hygiene rating in Tiptree →
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 →