Kings Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Boston
Kings Arms 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 1 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Kings Arms, 13 Horncastle Road, PE21 9BU
How it compares in Boston
A 1 is rare: only 4 of 578 rated places in Boston score this low, about one in 145. By contrast 88% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 511 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 36 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 21 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ← Kings Arms | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 62 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 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 Kings Arms the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Kings Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Market Retailers - other | 186 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Baltic Food Park Boston Retailers - other | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2019 |
| Boston Fruit LTD Retailers - other | 218 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Church Lounge Other catering premises | 307 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Bombay Club, Mombasa, Love Mumbai, Jasmine Royale, Hana Bay, ShakaZulu Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
| Ashridge Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Bismillah Food Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2024 |
| Boston Central Racing Pigeon Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2020 |
Questions about Kings Arms
What is Kings Arms's food hygiene rating?
Kings Arms has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Boston Council on 1 November 2024.
Is Kings Arms 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 Kings Arms last inspected?
Kings Arms was last inspected on 1 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Boston Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Kings 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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Kings Arms compare to other places in Boston?
88% of the 578 rated food businesses in Boston hold the top rating of 5, while Kings Arms holds a 1. 4 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Boston Council inspects Kings 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 Kings 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 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 Boston, 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: Boston
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Boston inspects and rates 640 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Boston →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.boston.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 →