The Pincushion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Boston
The Pincushion holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 4 March 2026, 4 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 Pincushion, 289 London Road, PE21 7DD
How it compares in Boston
That puts The Pincushion among the 520 places in Boston holding top marks, 90% 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 | 520 | 90% | ← The Pincushion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 35 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 17 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 57 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 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 Pincushion 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 Pincushion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2019 |
| East Lincs Seafoods Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Cafe Pausa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| B & M Retailers - other | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2015 |
| Bridge House Independent School School/college/university | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| Bramley House Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2018 |
| Aronia UK Ltd Retailers - other | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2019 |
Questions about The Pincushion
What is The Pincushion's food hygiene rating?
The Pincushion has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Boston Council on 4 March 2026.
Is The Pincushion 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Pincushion last inspected?
The Pincushion was last inspected on 4 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Boston Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Pincushion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Pincushion compare to other places in Boston?
90% of the 581 rated food businesses in Boston hold the top rating of 5, and The Pincushion is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Boston Council inspects The Pincushion 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 Pincushion 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 Pincushion is one of 27 rated food businesses in Wyberton. See every hygiene rating in Wyberton →
Boston inspects and rates 638 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Boston →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.boston.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 →