5

The Royal Oak food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · North Kesteven

The Royal Oak holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

This is a fresh result: The Royal Oak was inspected on 18 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.

99% of rated food businesses in North Kesteven score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all North Kesteven ratings →

Address: 1 Boston Road, NG34 9JD

How this rating has changed

The Royal Oak was re-inspected on 18 August 2026 and held its rating of 5.

Inspected Rating Change
18 August 2026 5 5 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 North Kesteven

That puts The Royal Oak among the 854 places in North Kesteven holding top marks, 93% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in North Kesteven
5 out of 5 854 93% ← The Royal Oak
4 out of 5 55 6%
3 out of 5 8 1%
2 out of 5 0 0%
1 out of 5 0 0%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 54 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Greenacres Residential Home Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 3 June 2026
Angel's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 26 June 2025
Dragon House Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 9 August 2024
Nags Head Pub/bar/nightclub 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 24 July 2026
Miller's House Tea Room Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 26 June 2025
Little Hearts Childminding Caring Premises 0.3 miles away Awaiting inspection
The Food Heroes Marketing Ltd Retailers - other 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 14 June 2021
Lincolnshire Co-op Heckington Food Store Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 7 August 2024

Questions about The Royal Oak

What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?

The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Kesteven Council on 18 August 2026.

Is The Royal Oak safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Royal Oak last inspected?

The Royal Oak was last inspected on 18 August 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Kesteven Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Royal Oak?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Royal Oak compare to other places in North Kesteven?

93% of the 917 rated food businesses in North Kesteven hold the top rating of 5, and The Royal Oak is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

North Kesteven Council inspects The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

North Kesteven inspects and rates 971 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Kesteven

The official record is held by the council: http://www.n-kesteven.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 →