The Elms food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Braintree
The Elms holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: The Elms was inspected on 15 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
96% of rated food businesses in Braintree score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Braintree ratings →
Address: 1 Crouch Green, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3DX
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Elms
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
The Elms was re-inspected on 15 July 2026 and held its rating of 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 15 July 2026 | AwaitingInspection 4 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Braintree
In Braintree, 85% of rated places manage a 5, so The Elms sits behind roughly 986 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 986 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 129 | 11% | ← The Elms | |
| 3 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 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 Very 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 The Elms 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 Elms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hedingham School & Sixth Form School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| Castle Nursery School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 June 2026 |
| De Vere Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Castle Hedingham Bowls Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2024 |
| The Bell Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| Castle Hedingham Village Shop Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 May 2024 |
| The Good Place Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2025 |
| Colne View Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
Questions about The Elms
What is The Elms's food hygiene rating?
The Elms has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Braintree Council on 15 July 2026.
Is The Elms 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Elms last inspected?
The Elms was last inspected on 15 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Braintree Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Elms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Elms compare to other places in Braintree?
85% of the 1,166 rated food businesses in Braintree hold the top rating of 5, while The Elms holds a 4. 129 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Braintree Council inspects The Elms 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 Elms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Braintree inspects and rates 1,277 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Braintree →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.braintree.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 →