Hop Pickers Rest food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Maidstone
Hop Pickers Rest holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 24 February 2026, 4 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: Orchard View Garage, Twyford Court, Hampstead Lane, ME18 6HG
How it compares in Maidstone
That puts Hop Pickers Rest among the 1,136 places in Maidstone holding top marks, 82% 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 | 1,136 | 82% | ← Hop Pickers Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Hop Pickers Rest 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 Hop Pickers Rest, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teapot Island Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 186 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Boathouse Pub/bar/nightclub | 208 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Costcutter (Orchard View Stores) Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 September 2015 |
| Yalding Supermarket Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| Zarda Cottage Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| A F Nuts And Dried Fruits Ltd Importers/Exporters | 0.6 miles away | Exempt | |
| Yalding Cricket Club - Cricket Kiosk Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2026 |
| EHML Limited Trading As Emma's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2021 |
Questions about Hop Pickers Rest
What is Hop Pickers Rest's food hygiene rating?
Hop Pickers Rest has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Maidstone Council on 24 February 2026.
Is Hop Pickers Rest 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Hop Pickers Rest last inspected?
Hop Pickers Rest was last inspected on 24 February 2026, 4 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 Hop Pickers Rest?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hop Pickers Rest compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, and Hop Pickers Rest is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects Hop Pickers Rest 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 Hop Pickers Rest 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hop Pickers Rest is one of 18 rated food businesses in Yalding. See every hygiene rating in Yalding →
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 →