The Rose & Thistle food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Reading
The Rose & Thistle 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 26 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: 43 Argyle Road, Reading, RG1 7YL
How it compares in Reading
In Reading, 65% of rated places manage a 5, so The Rose & Thistle sits behind roughly 881 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 881 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ← The Rose & Thistle | |
| 3 out of 5 | 148 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 155 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 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 Rose & Thistle 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 Rose & Thistle, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society Maitland House Caring Premises | 255 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Beesknees Day Nursery Caring Premises | 421 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2024 |
| Beacher Hall Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| Amherst Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 November 2017 |
| Bow Guest House Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 November 2017 |
| Cafe 12 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| A&S News & Off Licence Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2017 |
| Burger Den Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 April 2026 |
Questions about The Rose & Thistle
What is The Rose & Thistle's food hygiene rating?
The Rose & Thistle has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Reading Council on 26 June 2025.
Is The Rose & Thistle 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 Rose & Thistle last inspected?
The Rose & Thistle was last inspected on 26 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reading Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Rose & Thistle?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Rose & Thistle compare to other places in Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while The Rose & Thistle holds a 4. 248 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading Council inspects The Rose & Thistle 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 Rose & Thistle and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Reading inspects and rates 1,517 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reading →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reading.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 →