5

The Royal Oak food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Newcastle-Under-Lyme

The Royal Oak 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

This rating dates from 23 July 2024, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.

Address: Royal Oak, Heathcote Road, Newcastle under Lyme, ST7 8LL

How it compares in Newcastle-Under-Lyme

That puts The Royal Oak among the 779 places in Newcastle-Under-Lyme holding top marks, 87% 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.

Every rated food business in Newcastle-Under-Lyme
5 out of 5 779 87% ← The Royal Oak
4 out of 5 70 8%
3 out of 5 26 3%
2 out of 5 2 <1%
1 out of 5 15 2%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 85 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Jade Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 27 February 2025
HALMER END INSTITUTE - Minnies Cafe Other catering premises 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 1 July 2026
Castle Stores Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 9 August 2023
Audley Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 5 February 2025
Alsagers Bank Primary Academy School/college/university 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 9 September 2025
Alessi Other catering premises 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 3 December 2024
Audley Express Retailers - other 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 22 March 2026
Bignall End Cricket Club and Miners Institute Pub/bar/nightclub 0.9 miles away 5 - Very good 19 May 2025

Questions about The Royal Oak

What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?

The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council on 23 July 2024.

Is The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak last inspected?

The Royal Oak was last inspected on 23 July 2024, 23 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Royal Oak?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Royal Oak compare to other places in Newcastle-Under-Lyme?

87% of the 894 rated food businesses in Newcastle-Under-Lyme hold the top rating of 5, and The Royal Oak is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council inspects The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Royal Oak is one of 618 rated food businesses in Newcastle under Lyme. See every hygiene rating in Newcastle under Lyme

Newcastle-Under-Lyme inspects and rates 979 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newcastle-Under-Lyme

The official record is held by the council: http://www.newcastle-staffs.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 →