The Bell Hotel Saxmundham food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · East Suffolk
The Bell Hotel Saxmundham holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the hotel are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: The Bell Hotel Saxmundham was inspected on 22 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
96% of rated food businesses in East Suffolk score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all East Suffolk ratings →
Address: Bell Hotel, 31 High Street, Saxmundham, IP17 1AF
How this rating has changed
The Bell Hotel Saxmundham has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 22 July 2026, and now holds a 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 2026 | 5 4 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in East Suffolk
In East Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bell Hotel Saxmundham sits behind roughly 1,951 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,951 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 221 | 10% | ← The Bell Hotel Saxmundham | |
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 220 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Bell Hotel Saxmundham 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 Bell Hotel Saxmundham, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2025 |
| Trawlers Catch Takeaway/sandwich shop | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2025 |
| Saxmundham Local Retailers - other | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2024 |
| Tap.social Mobile caterer | 61 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Tap.social Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 61 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Black Dog Deli Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 November 2024 |
| Socialbar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Get Stuffed Retailers - other | 73 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2024 |
Questions about The Bell Hotel Saxmundham
What is The Bell Hotel Saxmundham's food hygiene rating?
The Bell Hotel Saxmundham has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Suffolk Council on 22 July 2026.
Is The Bell Hotel Saxmundham safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this hotel to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Bell Hotel Saxmundham last inspected?
The Bell Hotel Saxmundham was last inspected on 22 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bell Hotel Saxmundham?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Bell Hotel Saxmundham compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,280 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Bell Hotel Saxmundham holds a 4. 221 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects The Bell Hotel Saxmundham 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 Bell Hotel Saxmundham 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 Bell Hotel Saxmundham is one of 72 rated food businesses in Saxmundham. See every hygiene rating in Saxmundham →
East Suffolk inspects and rates 2,500 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastsuffolk.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 →