The Flag food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Colchester
The Flag 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 7 August 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: Flag Inn, Colchester Road, Wivenhoe, CO7 9HS
How it compares in Colchester
That puts The Flag among the 1,200 places in Colchester holding top marks, 89% 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 | 1,200 | 89% | ← The Flag | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 302 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Flag 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 Flag, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of England Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2025 |
| Bonds Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2025 |
| Buffalo Joe's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| Day Nursery & Playgroup Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2025 |
| Fusion Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
Questions about The Flag
What is The Flag's food hygiene rating?
The Flag has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 7 August 2025.
Is The Flag 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 The Flag last inspected?
The Flag was last inspected on 7 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Flag?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Flag compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and The Flag is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects The Flag 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 Flag 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
The Flag is one of 42 rated food businesses in Wivenhoe. See every hygiene rating in Wivenhoe →
Colchester inspects and rates 1,651 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.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 →