The Villager food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Gravesham
The Villager holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Villager was inspected on 22 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 1% of rated food businesses in Gravesham score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Gravesham ratings →
Address: The Bay, Vigo, Gravesend, DA13 0TD
How this rating has changed
The Villager has gone backwards: it held a 4 before its inspection on 22 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 2026 | 4 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Gravesham
A 1 is rare: only 2 of 765 rated places in Gravesham score this low, about one in 383. By contrast 89% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 678 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 70 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← The Villager | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 65 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 Major improvement necessary
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 Villager the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Villager, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vigo Tandoori Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 30 April 2025 |
| Vigo Pharmacy Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Vigo Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 22 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2025 |
| Vigo Supermarket T/A Londis Retailers - other | 22 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2024 |
| Vigo Village School Breakfast & After School Club School/college/university | 92 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Vigo Primary School School/college/university | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Vigo Rugby Football Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Trosley Country Park Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 4 - Good | 21 May 2025 |
Questions about The Villager
What is The Villager's food hygiene rating?
The Villager has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Gravesham Council on 22 July 2026.
Is The Villager safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Villager last inspected?
The Villager was last inspected on 22 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Gravesham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Villager?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Villager compare to other places in Gravesham?
89% of the 765 rated food businesses in Gravesham hold the top rating of 5, while The Villager holds a 1. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Gravesham Council inspects The Villager 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 Villager and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Gravesham, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Gravesham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Villager is one of 568 rated food businesses in Gravesend. See every hygiene rating in Gravesend →
Gravesham inspects and rates 830 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Gravesham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.gravesham.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 →