The Playhouse food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Colchester
The Playhouse 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 16 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: 4-8 St Johns Street, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7AA
How it compares in Colchester
That puts The Playhouse 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 Playhouse | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 The Playhouse 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 Playhouse, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef Canton Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Bull Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2025 |
| Bella-Pais Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Bon Appetit Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| BBQ Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2024 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Cafe at Number 21 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Chopstix Noodle Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 210 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
Questions about The Playhouse
What is The Playhouse's food hygiene rating?
The Playhouse has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 16 September 2024.
Is The Playhouse 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 Playhouse last inspected?
The Playhouse was last inspected on 16 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 The Playhouse?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Playhouse compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and The Playhouse is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects The Playhouse 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 Playhouse 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 1,651 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 →