The Old Plough food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Cambridgeshire
The Old Plough holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 23 October 2025, 8 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: 26 High Street, Ashley, Newmarket, CB8 9DX
How it compares in East Cambridgeshire
That puts The Old Plough among the 579 places in East Cambridgeshire holding top marks, 83% 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 | 579 | 83% | ← The Old Plough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 65 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 91 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Old Plough 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 Old Plough, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheveley Royal British Legion Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | Exempt | |
| Taylorshaw @ Cheveley C Of E Primary School School/college/university | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Cheveley Village Store And Post Office Retailers - other | 1.0 miles away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 16 January 2026 |
| The Red Lion Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2024 |
| Somerset Court Lunches Other catering premises | 1.2 miles away | 4 - Good | 12 April 2024 |
| The Affleck Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2020 |
| Saxon Street Methodist Church Other catering premises | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| The Reindeer Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.7 miles away | 4 - Good | 13 January 2019 |
Questions about The Old Plough
What is The Old Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Old Plough has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by East Cambridgeshire Council on 23 October 2025.
Is The Old Plough 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Old Plough last inspected?
The Old Plough was last inspected on 23 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Cambridgeshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Old Plough?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Old Plough compare to other places in East Cambridgeshire?
83% of the 697 rated food businesses in East Cambridgeshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Old Plough is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
East Cambridgeshire Council inspects The Old Plough 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 Old Plough and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Old Plough is one of 44 rated food businesses in Newmarket. See every hygiene rating in Newmarket →
East Cambridgeshire inspects and rates 788 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Cambridgeshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastcambs.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 →