Friends Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Carmarthenshire
Friends Arms 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 4 May 2017, more than 9 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: St Clears Road, Johnstown, SA31 3HH
How it compares in Carmarthenshire
In Carmarthenshire, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Friends Arms sits behind roughly 1,563 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,563 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 219 | 12% | ← Friends Arms | |
| 3 out of 5 | 86 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 280 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 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 Friends Arms 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 Friends Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-operative Group Food Ltd (Job's Well Road) Retailers - other | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2023 |
| Cilddewi House Caring Premises | 361 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2017 |
| Coleg sir Gar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 421 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Cole’s Coffee Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| BOOKER LTD. Tesco Group Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2020 |
| Bro Myrddin Bowls Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2026 |
| HALLIWELL CENTRE & Snack Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2024 |
| Hafan Derwen, St Davids Hospital Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 September 2019 |
Questions about Friends Arms
What is Friends Arms's food hygiene rating?
Friends Arms has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Carmarthenshire Council on 4 May 2017.
Is Friends Arms 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 Friends Arms last inspected?
Friends Arms was last inspected on 4 May 2017, more than 9 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Carmarthenshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Friends Arms?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Friends Arms compare to other places in Carmarthenshire?
83% of the 1,882 rated food businesses in Carmarthenshire hold the top rating of 5, while Friends Arms holds a 4. 219 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Carmarthenshire Council inspects Friends Arms 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 Friends Arms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Friends Arms is one of 40 rated food businesses in Carmarthen Carmarthenshire. See every hygiene rating in Carmarthen Carmarthenshire →
Carmarthenshire inspects and rates 2,162 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Carmarthenshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.carmarthenshire.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 →