Charleston House food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Lewes
Charleston House 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
The rating dates from 4 June 2025, 13 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: Charleston Farmhouse Eastbourne Road, Firle, BN8 6LL
How it compares in Lewes
That puts Charleston House among the 741 places in Lewes holding top marks, 85% 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 | 741 | 85% | ← Charleston House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 88 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 91 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 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 Charleston House 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 Charleston House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 15 January 2026 |
| Barley Mow Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.0 miles away | 4 - Good | 4 September 2024 |
| Hunter Gather Cook Other catering premises | 1.0 miles away | 4 - Good | 10 January 2025 |
| Firle Church of England Primary School School/college/university | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Firle Gardens Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 August 2025 |
| H R Walton Manufacturers/packers | 1.3 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Firle Village Hall Other catering premises | 1.3 miles away | Exempt | |
| The Ram Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2025 |
Questions about Charleston House
What is Charleston House's food hygiene rating?
Charleston House has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lewes Council on 4 June 2025.
Is Charleston House 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 Charleston House last inspected?
Charleston House was last inspected on 4 June 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lewes Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Charleston House?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Charleston House compare to other places in Lewes?
85% of the 869 rated food businesses in Lewes hold the top rating of 5, and Charleston House is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lewes Council inspects Charleston House 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 Charleston House 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
Lewes inspects and rates 960 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lewes →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lewes-eastbourne.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 →