The Oyster Bed food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
The Oyster Bed holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 11 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: The Oyster Bed, Thanet Way, Whitstable, CT5 3JE
How it compares in Canterbury City
That puts The Oyster Bed among the 1,160 places in Canterbury City holding top marks, 78% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,160 | 78% | ← The Oyster Bed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 121 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 165 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Oyster Bed 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 Oyster Bed, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Food Store Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 336 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 January 2025 |
| Caterlink @ Swalecliffe Community Primary School/college/university | 378 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Caterlink @ Swalecliffe Community Primary School/college/university | 378 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2025 |
| Blue Marlin Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 386 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Chestfield House Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2025 |
| Emmas Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2024 |
| Hathats Coffee Company Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2024 |
| Chestfield Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2015 |
Questions about The Oyster Bed
What is The Oyster Bed's food hygiene rating?
The Oyster Bed has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Canterbury City Council on 11 March 2025.
Is The Oyster Bed safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Oyster Bed last inspected?
The Oyster Bed was last inspected on 11 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Oyster Bed?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Oyster Bed compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,484 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, and The Oyster Bed is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Oyster Bed 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 Oyster Bed 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Oyster Bed is one of 294 rated food businesses in Whitstable. See every hygiene rating in Whitstable →
Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,649 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →