The Red Lion Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Ashford
The Red Lion Inn holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 31 July 2025, 11 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 Red Lion Inn Charing Heath Road, Charing, TN27 0AU
How it compares in Ashford
In Ashford, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so The Red Lion Inn sits behind roughly 1,039 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,039 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 90 | 8% | ← The Red Lion Inn | |
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 106 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Red Lion Inn 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 Red Lion Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heath Farm Family Services Ltd School/college/university | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2026 |
| Heath Farm School School/college/university | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2024 |
| Northdown Service Station Retailers - other | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2021 |
| Songbird Hearing Limited Caring Premises | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2025 |
| The Cottage School/college/university | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
| Jasmine House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2025 |
| The Charing Stores Retailers - other | 1.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 16 February 2026 |
| The Charing Bar Company Limited Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
Questions about The Red Lion Inn
What is The Red Lion Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Red Lion Inn has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Ashford Council on 31 July 2025.
Is The Red Lion Inn safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Red Lion Inn last inspected?
The Red Lion Inn was last inspected on 31 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ashford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Lion Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Red Lion Inn compare to other places in Ashford?
89% of the 1,162 rated food businesses in Ashford hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Lion Inn holds a 4. 90 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ashford Council inspects The Red Lion Inn 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 Red Lion Inn 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 Red Lion Inn is one of 20 rated food businesses in Charing. See every hygiene rating in Charing →
Ashford inspects and rates 1,268 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ashford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ashford.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 →