The Plough food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Epping Forest
The Plough 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
This is a fresh result: The Plough was inspected on 18 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: The Plough PH, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RJ
How it compares in Epping Forest
That puts The Plough 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 760 | 84% | ← The Plough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakers Arms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Bartlett Mitchell Ltd @ Gist Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Afro Hut Ltd Other catering premises | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2024 |
| Cafe Rose Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
| Brimsdown Supermarket Retailers - other | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2023 |
| Chesters Breakfast & After School Club School/college/university | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2023 |
| Brimsdown Food Centre Retailers - other | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 April 2024 |
| Abbey's Local Retailers - other | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2023 |
Questions about The Plough
What is The Plough's food hygiene rating?
The Plough has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Epping Forest Council on 18 June 2026.
Is The Plough 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 Plough last inspected?
The Plough was last inspected on 18 June 2026, within the last month. 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 Plough?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Plough 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 Plough is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Epping Forest 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 172 rated food businesses in Waltham Abbey. See every hygiene rating in Waltham Abbey →
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 →