The Cotton Mill food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sevenoaks
The Cotton Mill holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 1 March 2025, 16 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: Station Road, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8ET
How it compares in Sevenoaks
In Sevenoaks, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Cotton Mill sits behind roughly 669 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 669 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 119 | 14% | ← The Cotton Mill | |
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 103 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
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 Cotton Mill 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 Cotton Mill, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lullingstone Castle Pub/bar/nightclub | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
| Blue Harbour Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
| Holland And Barrett Retailers - other | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2024 |
| Greggs Plc Takeaway/sandwich shop | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 263 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2026 |
| Galms Ltd T/A McDonald's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 397 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2024 |
| Impact Food Group @ Orchards Academy School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2023 |
Questions about The Cotton Mill
What is The Cotton Mill's food hygiene rating?
The Cotton Mill has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Sevenoaks Council on 1 March 2025.
Is The Cotton Mill safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Cotton Mill last inspected?
The Cotton Mill was last inspected on 1 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sevenoaks Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cotton Mill?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Cotton Mill compare to other places in Sevenoaks?
78% of the 854 rated food businesses in Sevenoaks hold the top rating of 5, while The Cotton Mill holds a 4. 119 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sevenoaks Council inspects The Cotton Mill 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 Cotton Mill 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 Cotton Mill is one of 86 rated food businesses in Swanley. See every hygiene rating in Swanley →
Sevenoaks inspects and rates 957 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sevenoaks →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sevenoaks.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 →