The Unicorn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Maidstone
The Unicorn holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub 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
The rating dates from 30 September 2025, 9 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 Unicorn Inn, High Street, Marden, TN12 9DR
How it compares in Maidstone
In Maidstone, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so The Unicorn sits behind roughly 1,301 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,136 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ← The Unicorn | |
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 65 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 Unicorn 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 Unicorn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Post Office Coffee House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Marden Bakery Retailers - other | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| Marden Pharmacy Retailers - other | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 September 2020 |
| Costcutter Retailers - other | 80 yards away | 4 - Good | 5 March 2025 |
| Cherry Tree Takeaway/sandwich shop | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| The Poplar Tree Kitchen Pub/bar/nightclub | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2025 |
| Marden Tandoori Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 214 yards away | 2 - Some improvement necessary | 9 June 2026 |
| Kebab Fish Knight Takeaway/sandwich shop | 379 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
Questions about The Unicorn
What is The Unicorn's food hygiene rating?
The Unicorn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Maidstone Council on 30 September 2025.
Is The Unicorn safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub 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 Unicorn last inspected?
The Unicorn was last inspected on 30 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Unicorn?
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 Unicorn compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, while The Unicorn holds a 3. 61 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Unicorn 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 Unicorn 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 Unicorn is one of 35 rated food businesses in Marden. See every hygiene rating in Marden →
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.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 →