The Royal Oak food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
The Royal Oak 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 26 February 2025, 16 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: 140 Blean Common, Blean, Canterbury, CT2 9JJ
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak | |
| 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 Good
- 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 Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blean Pre School Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2026 |
| Blean After-School Club School/college/university | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2018 |
| Eliot Dining Hall Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2026 |
| Bean Inspired Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2024 |
| Cubos Solutions Limited Distributors/Transporters | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Cheesemakers Of Canterbury Manufacturers/packers | 1.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 May 2026 |
| Canterbury Adult Short Break Unit Caring Premises | 2.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
Questions about The Royal Oak
What is The Royal Oak's food hygiene rating?
The Royal Oak has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Canterbury City Council on 26 February 2025.
Is The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak last inspected?
The Royal Oak was last inspected on 26 February 2025, 16 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 Royal Oak?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak holds a 4. 185 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak 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 →