The Charles Holden food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Merton
The Charles Holden holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 19 June 2025, 12 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 Charles Holden 198 High Street Collier's Wood, Colliers Wood, SW19 2BH
How it compares in Merton
A 2 is rare: only 11 of 1,267 rated places in Merton score this low, about one in 115. By contrast 82% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,033 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 171 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ← The Charles Holden | |
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 275 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 Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Charles Holden the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Charles Holden, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Retailers - other | 218 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| After School Club Caring Premises | 226 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| All Saints Centre Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 December 2023 |
| After School Care Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2024 |
| After School Club School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Antoinette Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2024 |
| Afro-Beats and Carib-Eats Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| AJ Brothers Express Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2025 |
Questions about The Charles Holden
What is The Charles Holden's food hygiene rating?
The Charles Holden has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Merton Council on 19 June 2025.
Is The Charles Holden safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Charles Holden last inspected?
The Charles Holden was last inspected on 19 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Merton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Charles Holden?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Charles Holden compare to other places in Merton?
82% of the 1,267 rated food businesses in Merton hold the top rating of 5, while The Charles Holden holds a 2. 11 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Merton Council inspects The Charles Holden 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 Charles Holden 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Merton, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Merton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Charles Holden is one of 121 rated food businesses in Colliers Wood. See every hygiene rating in Colliers Wood →
Merton inspects and rates 1,542 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Merton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.merton.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 →