The Reef food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Isle of Wight
The Reef holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the hotel that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 5 December 2024, 19 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: 48 High Street, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 8AE
How it compares in Isle of Wight
A 2 is rare: only 31 of 1,479 rated places in Isle of Wight score this low, about one in 48. By contrast 70% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,040 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 262 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 139 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 31 | 2% | ← The Reef | |
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 208 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Reef the inspector recorded concerns over 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 The Reef, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Road Stores Retailers - other | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2024 |
| Bellamy's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2026 |
| Co-op Food Sandown Retailers - other | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2024 |
| Denewood Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Autumn House Caring Premises | 278 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Inglewood Guest House Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 278 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 September 2024 |
| Muzza's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| Coffee Chameleon Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 348 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
Questions about The Reef
What is The Reef's food hygiene rating?
The Reef has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Isle of Wight Council on 5 December 2024.
Is The Reef safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The hotel 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 The Reef last inspected?
The Reef was last inspected on 5 December 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Isle of Wight Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Reef?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Reef compare to other places in Isle of Wight?
70% of the 1,479 rated food businesses in Isle of Wight hold the top rating of 5, while The Reef holds a 2. 31 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Isle of Wight Council inspects The Reef 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 Reef 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 Isle of Wight, 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: Isle of Wight
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Reef is one of 148 rated food businesses in Sandown. See every hygiene rating in Sandown →
Isle of Wight inspects and rates 1,687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Isle of Wight →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.iow.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/community-protection-services/
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 →