The Curlew food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Chelmsford
The Curlew holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: The Curlew was inspected on 9 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 80 Gandalfs Ride, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, CM3 5WS
How it compares in Chelmsford
That puts The Curlew among the 1,343 places in Chelmsford holding top marks, 92% 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 | 1,343 | 92% | ← The Curlew | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 86 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 143 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 Very 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 Curlew 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 Curlew, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cummins Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2024 |
| Nannycake Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 October 2025 |
| Runwood Homes PLC Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Genesis Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2025 |
| Eyott Sailing Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2025 |
| Elmwood Preschool CIC Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2025 |
| Cook Stars Chelmsford Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 June 2026 |
Questions about The Curlew
What is The Curlew's food hygiene rating?
The Curlew has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Chelmsford Council on 9 June 2026.
Is The Curlew 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Curlew last inspected?
The Curlew was last inspected on 9 June 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Chelmsford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Curlew?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Curlew compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,463 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, and The Curlew is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects The Curlew 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 Curlew 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 Curlew is one of 92 rated food businesses in South Woodham Ferrers. See every hygiene rating in South Woodham Ferrers →
Chelmsford inspects and rates 1,606 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Chelmsford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.chelmsford.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 →