The Mayfly food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Suffolk
The Mayfly holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant 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 4 February 2026, 5 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: 72 High Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1XN
How it compares in East Suffolk
In East Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Mayfly sits behind roughly 2,207 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,994 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 213 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ← The Mayfly | |
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 201 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 Mayfly 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 Mayfly, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2025 |
| GGs Wine Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
| A Piece Of Cake Takeaway/sandwich shop | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 October 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 217 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2026 |
| Golden Castle Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 220 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2025 |
| Christ Church Hall Other catering premises | 242 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2018 |
| Bargain Point Retailers - other | 292 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 January 2020 |
| First & Last Pub/bar/nightclub | 374 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2025 |
Questions about The Mayfly
What is The Mayfly's food hygiene rating?
The Mayfly has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by East Suffolk Council on 4 February 2026.
Is The Mayfly safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant 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 Mayfly last inspected?
The Mayfly was last inspected on 4 February 2026, 5 months 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 Mayfly?
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 Mayfly compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,318 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while The Mayfly holds a 3. 71 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects The Mayfly 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 Mayfly 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 Mayfly is one of 573 rated food businesses in Lowestoft. See every hygiene rating in Lowestoft →
East Suffolk inspects and rates 2,519 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 →