The Swan food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Colchester
The Swan 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 27 November 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 Swan Inn, 285 London Road, Stanway, CO3 8LU
How it compares in Colchester
That puts The Swan among the 1,200 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 | 1,200 | 89% | ← The Swan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ||
| 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 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 The Swan 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 Swan, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busy Bees Stanway Caring Premises | 371 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 August 2025 |
| Miller & Carter Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 371 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2025 |
| Franks Corner Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2025 |
| Sarah Jane Creates Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 August 2025 |
| Love Local Essex & Suffolk Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2023 |
| Costa Drive Thru Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2024 |
| Lakeland Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2025 |
| Princess Charlotte Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2024 |
Questions about The Swan
What is The Swan's food hygiene rating?
The Swan has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 27 November 2024.
Is The Swan 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 Swan last inspected?
The Swan was last inspected on 27 November 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 The Swan?
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 Swan compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and The Swan is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects The Swan 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 Swan 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Swan is one of 95 rated food businesses in Stanway. See every hygiene rating in Stanway →
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 →