Red Lion Pub food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cornwall
Red Lion Pub holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Red Lion Pub was inspected on 24 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Cornwall score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Cornwall ratings →
Address: The Red Lion, The Square, Mawnan Smith, TR11 5EP
How this rating has changed
Red Lion Pub has gone backwards: it held a 4 before its inspection on 24 July 2026, and now holds a 2. A rating of 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2026 | 4 2 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Cornwall
A 2 is rare: only 41 of 5,337 rated places in Cornwall score this low, about one in 130. 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 | 4,511 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 535 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 210 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 41 | 1% | ← Red Lion Pub | |
| 1 out of 5 | 38 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 55 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Red Lion Pub the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and 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 Red Lion Pub, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Village Shop Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Mawnan Community Association Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 344 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2025 |
| Mawnan Church Of England Primary School School/college/university | 363 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
| Hotel Meudon Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| Trelawne Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 March 2025 |
| Life's A Beach Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2025 |
| Maenporth Leisure Complex Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
| The Cove Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2025 |
Questions about Red Lion Pub
What is Red Lion Pub's food hygiene rating?
Red Lion Pub has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Cornwall Council on 24 July 2026.
Is Red Lion Pub safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub 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 Red Lion Pub last inspected?
Red Lion Pub was last inspected on 24 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cornwall Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Red Lion Pub?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Red Lion Pub compare to other places in Cornwall?
85% of the 5,337 rated food businesses in Cornwall hold the top rating of 5, while Red Lion Pub holds a 2. 41 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cornwall Council inspects Red Lion Pub 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 Red Lion Pub 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 Cornwall, 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: Cornwall
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Red Lion Pub is one of 263 rated food businesses in Falmouth. See every hygiene rating in Falmouth →
Cornwall inspects and rates 5,392 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cornwall →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cornwall.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 →