Water Lily food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Braintree
Water Lily holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 19 September 2025, 9 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: 18 Trinity Street, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1JA
How it compares in Braintree
A 2 is rare: only 8 of 1,156 rated places in Braintree score this low, about one in 145. By contrast 85% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 980 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 125 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ← Water Lily | |
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 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 Water Lily 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 Water Lily, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Convenience Store Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 21 April 2026 |
| Courtyard Brewery Pub/bar/nightclub | 2 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2021 |
| MFG Halstead Londis Retailers - other | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Bull Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 124 yards away | 4 - Good | 21 May 2025 |
| Halstead BBQ Takeaway/sandwich shop | 130 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2025 |
| Halstead Day Centre Other catering premises | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 April 2018 |
| The Locomotive Pub/bar/nightclub | 139 yards away | 4 - Good | 21 March 2025 |
| Buzy Beanz Bistro Takeaway/sandwich shop | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
Questions about Water Lily
What is Water Lily's food hygiene rating?
Water Lily has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Braintree Council on 19 September 2025.
Is Water Lily safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Water Lily last inspected?
Water Lily was last inspected on 19 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Braintree Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Water Lily?
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 Water Lily compare to other places in Braintree?
85% of the 1,156 rated food businesses in Braintree hold the top rating of 5, while Water Lily holds a 2. 8 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Braintree Council inspects Water Lily 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 Water Lily 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 Braintree, 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: Braintree
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Water Lily is one of 127 rated food businesses in Halstead. See every hygiene rating in Halstead →
Braintree inspects and rates 1,267 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Braintree →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.braintree.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 →