The Forge food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Canterbury City
The Forge holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The business met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
This is a fresh result: The Forge was inspected on 14 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Sea Wall, Whitstable, CT5 1BX
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Forge sits behind roughly 1,346 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,161 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 185 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ← The Forge | |
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 166 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Forge 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 Forge, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gelataria Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2026 |
| HoneyKanes Ltd Retailers - other | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Harbour Street Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2025 |
| Harbour Street Tapas Takeaway/sandwich shop | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Keith's Coffee Hut Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 April 2025 |
| Porto Wine Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 103 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
| Lazy Lobster Pub/bar/nightclub | 123 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2024 |
| Harbour News Retailers - other | 131 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 December 2023 |
Questions about The Forge
What is The Forge's food hygiene rating?
The Forge has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Canterbury City Council on 14 May 2026.
Is The Forge safe to eat at?
A 3 means the business met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Forge last inspected?
The Forge was last inspected on 14 May 2026, a month 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 Forge?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Forge compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, while The Forge holds a 3. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Forge 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 Forge 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 Forge 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 →