The Red Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Red Lion 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 10 July 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: The Red Lion 174 Church Street, Sturminster Marshall, BH21 4BU
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Red Lion among the 3,813 places in Dorset holding top marks, 96% 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 | 3,813 | 96% | ← The Red Lion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 138 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,126 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset Porkers Mobile caterer | at this address | 5 - Very good | 7 September 2024 |
| The Old School Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 41 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2026 |
| Slimming World Sturminster Marshall Other catering premises | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2025 |
| Sturminster Marshall First School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Nisa Local Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| SPAR - Wessex retail Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
Questions about The Red Lion
What is The Red Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 10 July 2025.
Is The Red Lion 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 Red Lion last inspected?
The Red Lion was last inspected on 10 July 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Red Lion compare to other places in Dorset?
96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Red Lion is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Red Lion 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion is one of 20 rated food businesses in Sturminster Marshall. See every hygiene rating in Sturminster Marshall →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,118 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →