5

The Red Lion Boldre food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · New Forest

The Red Lion Boldre 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 8 February 2025, 17 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: Rope Hill, Boldre, Lymington, SO41 8NE

How it compares in New Forest

That puts The Red Lion Boldre among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% 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 New Forest
5 out of 5 1,153 80% ← The Red Lion Boldre
4 out of 5 183 13%
3 out of 5 69 5%
2 out of 5 6 <1%
1 out of 5 23 2%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 138 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 Red Lion Boldre 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 Red Lion Boldre, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Hill House School School/college/university at this address 5 - Very good 24 March 2026
820 Spirits Distillery Manufacturers/packers 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 3 February 2025
Mabel's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 31 January 2026
Boldre Preschool School/college/university 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 24 January 2025
Fleur DE Lys Pub/bar/nightclub 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 13 November 2025
Cafe 3 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.9 miles away 5 - Very good 15 October 2024

Questions about The Red Lion Boldre

What is The Red Lion Boldre's food hygiene rating?

The Red Lion Boldre has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 8 February 2025.

Is The Red Lion Boldre 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 Red Lion Boldre last inspected?

The Red Lion Boldre was last inspected on 8 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Red Lion Boldre?

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 Red Lion Boldre compare to other places in New Forest?

80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and The Red Lion Boldre is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

New Forest Council inspects The Red Lion Boldre 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 Red Lion Boldre and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Red Lion Boldre is one of 252 rated food businesses in Lymington. See every hygiene rating in Lymington

New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest

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