Old Red Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · South Oxfordshire
Old Red Lion holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 20 January 2025, 17 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: 40 High Street, Tetsworth, Thame Oxon, OX9 7AS
How it compares in South Oxfordshire
In South Oxfordshire, 71% of rated places manage a 5, so Old Red Lion sits behind roughly 994 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 808 | 71% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 11% | ← Old Red Lion | |
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 116 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Old Red Lion 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 Old Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetsworth Memorial Hall Retailers - other | 193 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 July 2023 |
| Tetsworth County Primary School School/college/university | 321 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2021 |
| The JR Sports group School/college/university | 321 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 23 January 2026 |
Questions about Old Red Lion
What is Old Red Lion's food hygiene rating?
Old Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by South Oxfordshire Council on 20 January 2025.
Is Old Red Lion safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Old Red Lion last inspected?
Old Red Lion was last inspected on 20 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Oxfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Red Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Old Red Lion compare to other places in South Oxfordshire?
71% of the 1,136 rated food businesses in South Oxfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while Old Red Lion holds a 3. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Oxfordshire Council inspects Old 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 Old Red Lion and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Oxfordshire inspects and rates 1,252 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Oxfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.southoxon.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 →