The Red Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Surrey Heath
The Red Lion 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 27 January 2026, 5 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: Red Lion Ph, 114 Guildford Road, Lightwater, GU18 5RP
How it compares in Surrey Heath
In Surrey Heath, 77% of rated places manage a 5, so The Red Lion sits behind roughly 450 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 450 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 81 | 14% | ← The Red Lion | |
| 3 out of 5 | 44 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 92 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 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Lightwater School/college/university | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
| Donald MM Superstore Retailers - other | 269 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2023 |
| Oysters Fish & Chip Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 July 2025 |
| Cinnamon Palace Takeaway/sandwich shop | 303 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2025 |
| Lightwater Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 331 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2022 |
| Co-operative Group Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 337 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 August 2025 |
| George Arthur Butchers Manufacturers/packers | 344 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| BP Lightwater SF Connect Retailers - other | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
Questions about The Red Lion
What is The Red Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Red Lion has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Surrey Heath Council on 27 January 2026.
Is The Red Lion 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 Red Lion last inspected?
The Red Lion was last inspected on 27 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Surrey Heath Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Lion?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Red Lion compare to other places in Surrey Heath?
77% of the 586 rated food businesses in Surrey Heath hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Lion holds a 4. 81 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Surrey Heath Council inspects The Red Lion 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 Red Lion 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 Red Lion is one of 27 rated food businesses in Lightwater. See every hygiene rating in Lightwater →
Surrey Heath inspects and rates 678 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Surrey Heath →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.surreyheath.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 →