The Plough

Saffron Walden

Food hygiene rating 2 / 5 · Improvement necessary

Bit dodgy, this one

The Plough scored just 2 out of 5 at its last inspection. Maybe think twice before ordering.

The breakdown

Hygiene Generally satisfactory Cleanliness & condition Improvement necessary Confidence in management Generally satisfactory

Last inspected on 13 May 2026 by Uttlesford.

Rating over time

We have recorded 2 Food Standards Agency inspections for The Plough, from August 2019 to May 2026. Its hygiene rating has gone down, from 4 in 2019 to 2 in 2026.

Food hygiene rating (0 to 5) at each FSA inspection of The Plough.

Food hygiene rating history for The Plough
Inspection date	Rating	Verdict
16 August 2019	4 / 5	Good
13 May 2026	2 / 5	Improvement necessary

What does this rating mean?

The Plough in Saffron Walden has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (improvement necessary). On the Food Standards Agency scale, 5 is the best and 0 is the worst. A 2 out of 5 means some improvement was necessary at the last inspection.

The rating reflects standards found at the last inspection. It is not a verdict on how the food tastes - it scores how well the business manages food safety. How often a place is inspected depends on its risk: lower-rated and higher-risk businesses are revisited more often than spotless ones.

Where is it?

High Street,
Debden,
Saffron Walden,
Essex,
CB11 3LE

This is the official Food Standards Agency hygiene badge for The Plough. The data is published by the FSA under the Open Government Licence.

Who inspects The Plough?

Food hygiene at The Plough is inspected by Uttlesford, the local authority responsible for this area. You can reach them at http://www.uttlesford.gov.uk or [email protected].

Questions about The Plough

What is The Plough’s food hygiene rating?

The Plough has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (Improvement necessary), based on its last Food Standards Agency inspection on 13 May 2026.

When was The Plough last inspected?

The Plough was last inspected by Uttlesford on 13 May 2026.

Is a 2 out of 5 hygiene rating good?

A 2 out of 5 means some improvement was necessary at the last inspection.

What do the food hygiene scores mean?

The rating combines three checks made on the day of the inspection: how hygienically food is handled, the cleanliness and condition of the premises, and how confident the inspector is that management will keep standards up. A higher overall score, from 0 up to 5, means fewer problems were found.