Bear & Bells food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · East Suffolk
Bear & Bells 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 28 April 2026, 2 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: 11 Old Market, Beccles, Suffolk
How it compares in East Suffolk
In East Suffolk, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so Bear & Bells sits behind roughly 1,994 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,994 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 212 | 9% | ← Bear & Bells | |
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 202 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 Good
- 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 Bear & Bells 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 Bear & Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rao's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 92 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| Beccles Convenience Store Retailers - other | 121 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2024 |
| Printing Press Pub/bar/nightclub | 141 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 December 2025 |
| Townhouse Cafe / Cwtch Catering / Owens Events Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 146 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
| Old School Coffee Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| The Fox And Hounds Social Club Other catering premises | 153 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2022 |
| Beccles Public Hall Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 167 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2025 |
| Ristorante Piatto Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 167 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
Questions about Bear & Bells
What is Bear & Bells's food hygiene rating?
Bear & Bells has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Suffolk Council on 28 April 2026.
Is Bear & Bells 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 Bear & Bells last inspected?
Bear & Bells was last inspected on 28 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bear & Bells?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bear & Bells compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,317 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while Bear & Bells holds a 4. 212 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects Bear & Bells 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 Bear & Bells and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bear & Bells is one of 146 rated food businesses in Beccles. See every hygiene rating in Beccles →
East Suffolk inspects and rates 2,519 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastsuffolk.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 →