The Royal food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · West Devon
The Royal 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 7 October 2025, 9 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 Royal Inn, Horsebridge, PL19 8PJ
How it compares in West Devon
In West Devon, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so The Royal sits behind roughly 456 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 456 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 71 | 13% | ← The Royal | |
| 3 out of 5 | 15 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 81 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Royal 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.
Questions about The Royal
What is The Royal's food hygiene rating?
The Royal has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by West Devon Council on 7 October 2025.
Is The Royal 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 Royal last inspected?
The Royal was last inspected on 7 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Royal?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 compare to other places in West Devon?
83% of the 548 rated food businesses in West Devon hold the top rating of 5, while The Royal holds a 4. 71 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Devon Council inspects The Royal 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 and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
West Devon inspects and rates 629 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westdevon.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 →