The Acorn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Barking and Dagenham
The Acorn holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 6 December 2025, 7 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: 201-203 Longbridge Road, IG11 8UF
How it compares in Barking and Dagenham
A 1 is rare: only 71 of 1,197 rated places in Barking and Dagenham score this low, about one in 17. By contrast 55% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 657 | 55% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 275 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 164 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 71 | 6% | ← The Acorn | |
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 249 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Acorn the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
What the business says
<p> We were also reinspected&nbsp; in mid January 2026 and the inspector acknowledged there had been significant changes and improvements.</p>
Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Acorn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barking Abbey Comprehensive Lower School School/college/university | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Ashbourne Day Nurseries Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Barking Abbey Comprehensive Upper School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2025 |
| Anteiku Coffeeshop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2024 |
| Abbey Children's Centre Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2026 |
| Afters Ilford Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Angel Supermarket Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Adom Trading Ltd T/A Amazing Grace Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2024 |
Questions about The Acorn
What is The Acorn's food hygiene rating?
The Acorn has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Barking and Dagenham Council on 6 December 2025.
Is The Acorn safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Acorn last inspected?
The Acorn was last inspected on 6 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Barking and Dagenham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Acorn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Acorn compare to other places in Barking and Dagenham?
55% of the 1,197 rated food businesses in Barking and Dagenham hold the top rating of 5, while The Acorn holds a 1. 71 places in the area share that rating.
Has The Acorn responded to its rating?
Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. The Acorn said: “<p> We were also reinspected&nbsp; in mid January 2026 and the inspector acknowledged there had been significant changes and improvements.</p>”
Who decides the rating?
Barking and Dagenham Council inspects The Acorn 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 Acorn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Barking and Dagenham, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Barking and Dagenham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Acorn is one of 394 rated food businesses in Barking. See every hygiene rating in Barking →
Barking and Dagenham inspects and rates 1,446 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Barking and Dagenham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx
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 →