The Rainbow inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lewes
The Rainbow inn 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 12 December 2025, 7 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 Rainbow Inn Deadmantree Hill, Barcombe, BN8 4SS
How it compares in Lewes
In Lewes, 85% of rated places manage a 5, so The Rainbow inn sits behind roughly 829 nearby businesses. 3% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 741 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 88 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 3% | ← The Rainbow inn | |
| 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 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 Rainbow 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 Rainbow inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Horn Farm Manufacturers/packers | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2025 |
| Offham Garage and Store Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
| Akshayapatra Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2026 |
| Rhubarb and Custard Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Holmansbridge Farm Shop & Poultry Retailers - other | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| Hut Therapy Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2023 |
| Ancient + Brave Manufacturers/packers | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Cashew Catering Other catering premises | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
Questions about The Rainbow inn
What is The Rainbow inn's food hygiene rating?
The Rainbow inn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Lewes Council on 12 December 2025.
Is The Rainbow inn 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 Rainbow inn last inspected?
The Rainbow inn was last inspected on 12 December 2025, 7 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 The Rainbow inn?
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 Rainbow inn compare to other places in Lewes?
85% of the 869 rated food businesses in Lewes hold the top rating of 5, while The Rainbow inn holds a 3. 24 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Lewes Council inspects The Rainbow 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 Rainbow 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 Rainbow inn is one of 19 rated food businesses in Barcombe. See every hygiene rating in Barcombe →
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 →