Royal Oak Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Newark and Sherwood
Royal Oak Inn holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 26 February 2026, 4 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: High Street, Edwinstowe, NG21 9QP
How it compares in Newark and Sherwood
A 1 is rare: only 8 of 1,046 rated places in Newark and Sherwood score this low, about one in 131. By contrast 87% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 906 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 79 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ← Royal Oak Inn | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 82 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 Major improvement necessary
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 Royal Oak Inn the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. 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 Royal Oak Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Hood Plaice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 26 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2025 |
| Strawberry Fields Retailers - other | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2024 |
| Fables Coffee House And Cake Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 53 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
| Pizza Hood BBQ And Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| MUDDY SPANIEL BARS LTD T/A The Miners Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 76 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| Black Swan Pub/bar/nightclub | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
| David Goff Butcher Retailers - other | 83 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| China Moon Takeaway/sandwich shop | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2026 |
Questions about Royal Oak Inn
What is Royal Oak Inn's food hygiene rating?
Royal Oak Inn has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Newark and Sherwood Council on 26 February 2026.
Is Royal Oak Inn safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Royal Oak Inn last inspected?
Royal Oak Inn was last inspected on 26 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newark and Sherwood Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Royal Oak Inn?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Royal Oak Inn compare to other places in Newark and Sherwood?
87% of the 1,046 rated food businesses in Newark and Sherwood hold the top rating of 5, while Royal Oak Inn holds a 1. 8 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newark and Sherwood Council inspects Royal Oak Inn 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 Royal Oak Inn 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 1 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 Newark and Sherwood, 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: Newark and Sherwood
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Royal Oak Inn is one of 42 rated food businesses in Edwinstowe. See every hygiene rating in Edwinstowe →
Newark and Sherwood inspects and rates 1,128 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newark and Sherwood →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newark-sherwooddc.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 →