Donkey & Buskins food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Colchester
Donkey & Buskins 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 24 September 2024, 21 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: Donkey And Buskins, High Road, Layer de la Haye, CO2 0HU
How it compares in Colchester
That puts Donkey & Buskins 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% | ← Donkey & Buskins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Donkey & Buskins 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 Donkey & Buskins, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2026 |
| CESSAC Community Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Britts Grill Mobile caterer | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| East of England Co-Op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2025 |
| Asda Express Colchester - Shrub End Road PFS Retailers - other | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2024 |
| Colchester Zoo Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| Colchester Montessori Day Nursery School/college/university | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2025 |
| Coffeehog Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
Questions about Donkey & Buskins
What is Donkey & Buskins's food hygiene rating?
Donkey & Buskins has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 24 September 2024.
Is Donkey & Buskins 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 Donkey & Buskins last inspected?
Donkey & Buskins was last inspected on 24 September 2024, 21 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 Donkey & Buskins?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Donkey & Buskins compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,335 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and Donkey & Buskins is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Donkey & Buskins 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 Donkey & Buskins 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 →