The William Foster food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lincoln City
The William Foster 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
The rating dates from 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 14-15 Guildhall Street, Lincoln, LN1 1TT
How it compares in Lincoln City
That puts The William Foster among the 949 places in Lincoln City holding top marks, 94% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 94% | ← The William Foster | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 40 | 4% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 96 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
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 William Foster 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 William Foster, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 420 Smokehouse Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 18 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Bear & Sheep Pub/bar/nightclub | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 May 2024 |
| Alt-Ed Lincs School/college/university | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| B & M Retail Limited Retailers - other | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2024 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 166 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2023 |
| Brayford Waterside Cruises Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 169 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2023 |
| Body Lipo Retailers - other | 170 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 May 2018 |
| Akedo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2024 |
Questions about The William Foster
What is The William Foster's food hygiene rating?
The William Foster has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lincoln City Council on 6 November 2024.
Is The William Foster 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 William Foster last inspected?
The William Foster was last inspected on 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lincoln City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The William Foster?
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 William Foster compare to other places in Lincoln City?
94% of the 1,014 rated food businesses in Lincoln City hold the top rating of 5, and The William Foster is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lincoln City Council inspects The William Foster 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 William Foster and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lincoln City inspects and rates 1,110 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lincoln City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lincoln.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 →