The Fleece food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Babergh
The Fleece 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 20 June 2025, 12 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: 8 Broad Street, Boxford, Sudbury, CO10 5DX
How it compares in Babergh
That puts The Fleece among the 696 places in Babergh holding top marks, 86% 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 | 696 | 86% | ← The Fleece | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 65 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 27 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 74 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 Fleece 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 Fleece, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franks Kitchen Mobile caterer | 12 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2025 |
| Sulu Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 33 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 October 2025 |
| The Hub @ The Hart Pub/bar/nightclub | 47 yards away | 4 - Good | 11 July 2024 |
| Boxford Stores Retailers - other | 175 yards away | 0 - Urgent improvement necessary | 11 February 2026 |
| A Leeder Butchers Retailers - other | 187 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Village Stores Retailers - other | 187 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2024 |
| Trokey's Treets Retailers - other | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2022 |
| Heavens to Betsy Mobile caterer | 412 yards away | 4 - Good | 27 August 2025 |
Questions about The Fleece
What is The Fleece's food hygiene rating?
The Fleece has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Babergh Council on 20 June 2025.
Is The Fleece 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 Fleece last inspected?
The Fleece was last inspected on 20 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Babergh Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Fleece?
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 Fleece compare to other places in Babergh?
86% of the 807 rated food businesses in Babergh hold the top rating of 5, and The Fleece is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Babergh Council inspects The Fleece 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 Fleece 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 Fleece is one of 308 rated food businesses in Sudbury. See every hygiene rating in Sudbury →
Babergh inspects and rates 881 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Babergh →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.babergh.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 →