The Royal Oak food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lewes
The Royal Oak 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 14 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Royal Oak 3 Station Street, Lewes, BN7 2DA
How it compares in Lewes
In Lewes, 85% of rated places manage a 5, so The Royal Oak sits behind roughly 740 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 740 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 89 | 10% | ← The Royal Oak | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 39 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2024 |
| ASK Italian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Lewes Community Fridge Other catering premises | 65 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2026 |
| Pailin Thai Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2026 |
| Number 34 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Charcoal Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 112 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Caccia and Tails Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 128 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2025 |
Questions about The Royal Oak
What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?
The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Lewes Council on 14 November 2024.
Is The Royal Oak 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 The Royal Oak last inspected?
The Royal Oak was last inspected on 14 November 2024, 20 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 "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "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, while The Royal Oak holds a 4. 89 places in the area share that rating.
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
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 →