Joiners Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Swansea
Joiners Arms holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 9 January 2026, 6 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: Joiners Arms, Bishopston Road, SA3 3EJ
How it compares in Swansea
A 2 is rare: only 27 of 2,137 rated places in Swansea score this low, about one in 79. By contrast 68% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,463 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 413 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 209 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 27 | 1% | ← Joiners Arms | |
| 1 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 296 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Joiners Arms the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Joiners Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Cottage B & B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 57 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2018 |
| Bishopston After School Club School/college/university | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2019 |
| Bishopston Primary School School/college/university | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2025 |
| The Co-operative Food Retailers - other | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2025 |
| Gower Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 294 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Bishopston Comprehensive School School/college/university | 355 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Northway Garage Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2022 |
| Murton Stores Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
Questions about Joiners Arms
What is Joiners Arms's food hygiene rating?
Joiners Arms has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Swansea Council on 9 January 2026.
Is Joiners Arms safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Joiners Arms last inspected?
Joiners Arms was last inspected on 9 January 2026, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swansea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Joiners Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Joiners Arms compare to other places in Swansea?
68% of the 2,137 rated food businesses in Swansea hold the top rating of 5, while Joiners Arms holds a 2. 27 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swansea Council inspects Joiners Arms 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 Joiners Arms 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 2 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 Swansea, 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: Swansea
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Swansea inspects and rates 2,433 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swansea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swansea.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 →