The Limes Bar & Hotel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Mid Suffolk
The Limes Bar & Hotel holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 12 February 2025, 17 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 Limes Hotel, 99 High Street, Needham Market, IP6 8DQ
How it compares in Mid Suffolk
In Mid Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Limes Bar & Hotel sits behind roughly 689 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 623 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 4% | ← The Limes Bar & Hotel | |
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 122 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Limes Bar & Hotel 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 Limes Bar & Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needham Market Post Office Retailers - other | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2024 |
| Bretts Bakery Retailers - other | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Needham Quality Butchers Ltd Retailers - other | 90 yards away | 4 - Good | 15 May 2026 |
| St John's Pantry Farmers/growers | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2021 |
| Bonds Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 120 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 May 2024 |
| Elton House News Ltd Retailers - other | 124 yards away | Exempt | |
| Needham Premier Retailers - other | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2024 |
| Three Tuns Pub/bar/nightclub | 171 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2026 |
Questions about The Limes Bar & Hotel
What is The Limes Bar & Hotel's food hygiene rating?
The Limes Bar & Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Mid Suffolk Council on 12 February 2025.
Is The Limes Bar & Hotel safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Limes Bar & Hotel last inspected?
The Limes Bar & Hotel was last inspected on 12 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Limes Bar & Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Limes Bar & Hotel compare to other places in Mid Suffolk?
86% of the 728 rated food businesses in Mid Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Limes Bar & Hotel holds a 3. 26 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Mid Suffolk Council inspects The Limes Bar & Hotel 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 Limes Bar & Hotel 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 Limes Bar & Hotel is one of 33 rated food businesses in Needham Market. See every hygiene rating in Needham Market →
Mid Suffolk inspects and rates 850 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midsuffolk.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 →