The European food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Waltham Forest
The European holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub 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 1 April 2025, 15 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 Drum Public House 557 - 559 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, E10 7EQ
How it compares in Waltham Forest
In Waltham Forest, 51% of rated places manage a 5, so The European sits behind roughly 1,376 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ← The European | |
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 European 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 European, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arfan Supermarket Retailers - other | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Alytus Retailers - other | 224 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Albany Nursing Home Caring Premises | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Aspens Services at Barclay's Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Aspens at Thomas Gamuel Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Aspens Services Ltd at Barclay Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 December 2024 |
| Ashwood House Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
Questions about The European
What is The European's food hygiene rating?
The European has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Waltham Forest Council on 1 April 2025.
Is The European safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub 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 European last inspected?
The European was last inspected on 1 April 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The European?
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 European compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while The European holds a 3. 267 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects The European 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 European 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 European is one of 416 rated food businesses in Leyton. See every hygiene rating in Leyton →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →