The Ships Tavern & Kings Head food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Plymouth City
The Ships Tavern & Kings Head 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 13 September 2024, 21 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Ships Tavern & Kings Head Inn, Arcadia Road, Plymouth, PL9 8EG
How it compares in Plymouth City
That puts The Ships Tavern & Kings Head among the 1,270 places in Plymouth 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 | 1,270 | 78% | ← The Ships Tavern & Kings Head | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 97 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 34 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | 1% |
A further 153 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 Ships Tavern & Kings 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 Ships Tavern & Kings Head, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elburton Heights Nursing Home Caring Premises | 92 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| Allisons Butchers on YOUR Block Retailers - other | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Allisons Butchers Retailers - other | 124 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Catered at Elburton Primary School/college/university | 188 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2025 |
| Elburton Methodist Church Other catering premises | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Elburton Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 364 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2024 |
| Combe Dean School Kitchen School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| Desi Junction Mobile caterer | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2025 |
Questions about The Ships Tavern & Kings Head
What is The Ships Tavern & Kings Head's food hygiene rating?
The Ships Tavern & Kings Head has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Plymouth City Council on 13 September 2024.
Is The Ships Tavern & Kings Head 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 Ships Tavern & Kings Head last inspected?
The Ships Tavern & Kings Head was last inspected on 13 September 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Plymouth City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Ships Tavern & Kings Head?
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 Ships Tavern & Kings Head compare to other places in Plymouth City?
78% of the 1,630 rated food businesses in Plymouth City hold the top rating of 5, and The Ships Tavern & Kings Head is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Plymouth City Council inspects The Ships Tavern & Kings 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 Ships Tavern & Kings 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
Plymouth City inspects and rates 1,783 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Plymouth City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.plymouth.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 →