The Maidens Head food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
The Maidens Head 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 15 January 2026, 5 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: 28 Wincheap, Canterbury, CT1 3QZ
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Maidens Head sits behind roughly 1,161 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,161 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 185 | 12% | ← The Maidens Head | |
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ||
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Maidens Head 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 Maidens Head, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle House Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 186 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Brakepoint Wincheap Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Canterbury Open Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Big Boys Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 240 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 July 2026 |
| Cafe Marrakech Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 302 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Age UK Canterbury Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 310 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Chimera Climbing Centre Canterbury Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 338 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2023 |
| Balkan Food Retailers - other | 403 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2023 |
Questions about The Maidens Head
What is The Maidens Head's food hygiene rating?
The Maidens Head has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Canterbury City Council on 15 January 2026.
Is The Maidens Head 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 Maidens Head last inspected?
The Maidens Head was last inspected on 15 January 2026, 5 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 Maidens Head?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Maidens Head 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 Maidens Head holds a 4. 185 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Maidens Head 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 Maidens Head and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →