The Castle food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Southend-On-Sea
The Castle holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 7 November 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: 92 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, SS1 2YP
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
In Southend-On-Sea, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so The Castle sits behind roughly 1,216 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ← The Castle | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Castle 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 Castle, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Hundreds Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 144 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2024 |
| 140 Eastern Esplanade Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 242 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
| Camelia Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
| Christie's Stores Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 July 2024 |
| Centre Place Family Centre Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Byers Bakery Ltd Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
| ChicKing Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 March 2025 |
| Big George Entertainment Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2024 |
Questions about The Castle
What is The Castle's food hygiene rating?
The Castle has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 7 November 2025.
Is The Castle safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Castle last inspected?
The Castle was last inspected on 7 November 2025, 8 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 Castle?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Castle 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 Castle holds a 3. 119 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects The Castle 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 Castle and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →