The Richard Cobden food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Medway
The Richard Cobden holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 26 January 2026, 5 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: The Richard Cobden, 178 Luton Road, Luton, ME4 5BP
How it compares in Medway
In Medway, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Richard Cobden sits behind roughly 1,856 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ← The Richard Cobden | |
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Richard Cobden 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 Richard Cobden, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boosta Vape And Shisha Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2025 |
| 4 Continents Stores Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2024 |
| Bill's Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2026 |
| Brown's Mini Mart Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2025 |
| Brasenose Club Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2024 |
| Asia Express Fast Food Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| Arena Lounge Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 November 2023 |
Questions about The Richard Cobden
What is The Richard Cobden's food hygiene rating?
The Richard Cobden has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Medway Council on 26 January 2026.
Is The Richard Cobden safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Richard Cobden last inspected?
The Richard Cobden was last inspected on 26 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Richard Cobden?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Richard Cobden compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, while The Richard Cobden holds a 3. 74 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects The Richard Cobden 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 Richard Cobden 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 Richard Cobden is one of 409 rated food businesses in Chatham. See every hygiene rating in Chatham →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →