5

The Chequers food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Epping Forest

The Chequers holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 14 November 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: The Chequers PH Matching Green, Matching, Harlow, CM17 0PZ

How it compares in Epping Forest

That puts The Chequers among the 760 places in Epping Forest holding top marks, 84% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in Epping Forest
5 out of 5 760 84% ← The Chequers
4 out of 5 96 11%
3 out of 5 36 4%
2 out of 5 7 1%
1 out of 5 11 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 148 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Chequers 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 Chequers, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
The Fox Inn Pub/bar/nightclub 1.3 miles away 5 - Very good 14 October 2025
Rural Health And Fitness Retailers - other 1.4 miles away 5 - Very good 17 April 2024
Ashlyn's Organics Ltd Distributors/Transporters 1.4 miles away 5 - Very good 9 October 2023
Multi Purpose Mobile caterer 1.4 miles away Awaiting inspection
Multi Purpose 2 Mobile caterer 1.4 miles away Awaiting inspection
Down Hall Country House Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house 1.5 miles away 5 - Very good 8 December 2025
Little Zaytouna Importers/Exporters 1.9 miles away Awaiting inspection
Buckinghams Catering Supplies Distributors/Transporters 2.0 miles away 5 - Very good 21 October 2025

Questions about The Chequers

What is The Chequers's food hygiene rating?

The Chequers has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Epping Forest Council on 14 November 2024.

Is The Chequers safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Chequers last inspected?

The Chequers was last inspected on 14 November 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Epping Forest Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Chequers?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Chequers compare to other places in Epping Forest?

84% of the 910 rated food businesses in Epping Forest hold the top rating of 5, and The Chequers is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Epping Forest Council inspects The Chequers 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 Chequers 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

Epping Forest inspects and rates 1,058 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Epping Forest

The official record is held by the council: http://www.eppingforestdc.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 →