The Royal Oak food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lewes
The Royal Oak 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 9 April 2026, 3 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 Oak 1 Church Road, Newick, BN8 4JU
How it compares in Lewes
That puts The Royal Oak among the 740 places in Lewes holding top marks, 85% 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 | 740 | 85% | ← The Royal Oak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 89 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 90 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 Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newick Village Tandoori Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 79 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| The Bull On The Green Pub/bar/nightclub | 100 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| The Pantry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 160 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2026 |
| Philania's Cottage Bakery Retailers - other | 169 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
| Newick Bowls Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 173 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
| Kamsons Retailers - other | 177 yards away | Exempt | |
| The Crown Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 193 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Newick Pre-School - The Reading Room School/college/university | 262 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 July 2025 |
Questions about The Royal Oak
What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?
The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lewes Council on 9 April 2026.
Is The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak last inspected?
The Royal Oak was last inspected on 9 April 2026, 3 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 Royal Oak?
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 Royal Oak compare to other places in Lewes?
85% of the 870 rated food businesses in Lewes hold the top rating of 5, and The Royal Oak is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lewes Council inspects The Royal Oak 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 Oak 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 Royal Oak is one of 19 rated food businesses in Newick. See every hygiene rating in Newick →
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 →