The Plough food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Southend-On-Sea
The Plough 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 31 July 2024, 23 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: 426 - 428 London Road, Westcliff-On-Sea, Essex, SS0 9LA
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
In Southend-On-Sea, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so The Plough sits behind roughly 973 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ← The Plough | |
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 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 Plough, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anke's Tea And Coffee Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 99 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Cake Box Southend Ltd Retailers - other | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2025 |
| Care In Style Caring Premises | 353 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2024 |
| Alston Court Caring Premises | 377 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| Be My Guest Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 429 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2024 |
| Cafe 316 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Astral Lodge Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 August 2025 |
| Britannia Lodge Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2025 |
Questions about The Plough
What is The Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Plough has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 31 July 2024.
Is The Plough 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 Plough last inspected?
The Plough was last inspected on 31 July 2024, 23 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Plough?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Plough compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, while The Plough holds a 4. 243 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects The 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 Plough 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
The Plough is one of 324 rated food businesses in Westcliff-on-Sea. See every hygiene rating in Westcliff-on-Sea →
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.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 →