The Old Kitchen Tea-room food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · North Devon
The Old Kitchen Tea-room holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 20 February 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Arlington Court, Arlington, Barnstaple, EX31 4LP
How it compares in North Devon
That puts The Old Kitchen Tea-room among the 1,107 places in North Devon holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,107 | 84% | ← The Old Kitchen Tea-room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 129 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 42 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 150 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Old Kitchen Tea-room 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 Old Kitchen Tea-room, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Real Ale Girls Distributors/Transporters | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 November 2023 |
| Pyne Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2024 |
| Kentisbury Grange Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| Calvert Trust Exmoor Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Wrights Care Farm Project Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 December 2022 |
| HARTA Retreat Retailers - other | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Bratton Fleming Pre-School C.I.C School/college/university | 2.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2011 |
| Bratton Fleming Primary School School/college/university | 2.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2025 |
Questions about The Old Kitchen Tea-room
What is The Old Kitchen Tea-room's food hygiene rating?
The Old Kitchen Tea-room has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Devon Council on 20 February 2024.
Is The Old Kitchen Tea-room 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Old Kitchen Tea-room last inspected?
The Old Kitchen Tea-room was last inspected on 20 February 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Old Kitchen Tea-room?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Old Kitchen Tea-room compare to other places in North Devon?
84% of the 1,317 rated food businesses in North Devon hold the top rating of 5, and The Old Kitchen Tea-room is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Devon Council inspects The Old Kitchen Tea-room 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 Old Kitchen Tea-room 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 Old Kitchen Tea-room is one of 413 rated food businesses in Barnstaple. See every hygiene rating in Barnstaple →
North Devon inspects and rates 1,467 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northdevon.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 →