The Smiths Arms Hotel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Preston
The Smiths Arms Hotel 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 6 March 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: Smiths Arms, Lea Lane, Preston, PR4 0RP
How it compares in Preston
In Preston, 79% of rated places manage a 5, so The Smiths Arms Hotel sits behind roughly 1,176 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,176 | 79% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 13% | ← The Smiths Arms Hotel | |
| 3 out of 5 | 103 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 129 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 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 The Smiths Arms Hotel 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 Smiths Arms Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lea St Marys Primary School School/college/university | 289 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2025 |
| Helmes Meats Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| Oakfield House School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| ASKM Convenience Shop Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 April 2022 |
| Lea Gate Service Station and Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 January 2024 |
| Lea Gate Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Highfield Hydro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2026 |
Questions about The Smiths Arms Hotel
What is The Smiths Arms Hotel's food hygiene rating?
The Smiths Arms Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Preston Council on 6 March 2025.
Is The Smiths Arms Hotel 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 Smiths Arms Hotel last inspected?
The Smiths Arms Hotel was last inspected on 6 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Preston Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Smiths Arms Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 The Smiths Arms Hotel compare to other places in Preston?
79% of the 1,498 rated food businesses in Preston hold the top rating of 5, while The Smiths Arms Hotel holds a 4. 198 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Preston Council inspects The Smiths Arms Hotel 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 Smiths Arms Hotel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Preston inspects and rates 1,627 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Preston →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.preston.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 →