The Red Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dacorum
The Red Lion 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 28 January 2026, 5 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 Red Lion, Leighton Buzzard Road, Water End, HP1 3BD
How it compares in Dacorum
A 2 is rare: only 5 of 1,123 rated places in Dacorum score this low, about one in 225. By contrast 77% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 864 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 192 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 55 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ← The Red Lion | |
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 137 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 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Horizons Potten End Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2026 |
| Great Gaddesden Cof E Primary School School/college/university | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Casper Kebab Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2025 |
| Bam & Tata's Day Nursery Caring Premises | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| Gade & Goose Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2015 |
| CoachingMe Limited School/college/university | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Galley Hill Primary School School/college/university | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2024 |
| Gadebridge Baptist Church Other catering premises | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
Questions about The Red Lion
What is The Red Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Dacorum Council on 28 January 2026.
Is The Red Lion 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 Red Lion last inspected?
The Red Lion was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dacorum Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", 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 Red Lion compare to other places in Dacorum?
77% of the 1,123 rated food businesses in Dacorum hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Lion holds a 2. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dacorum Council inspects The Red Lion 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 Red Lion 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 Dacorum, 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: Dacorum
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Red Lion is one of 634 rated food businesses in Hemel Hempstead. See every hygiene rating in Hemel Hempstead →
Dacorum inspects and rates 1,260 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dacorum →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dacorum.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 →