The Carpenter's Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Tonbridge and Malling
The Carpenter's Arms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: The Carpenter's Arms was inspected on 1 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Carpenters Arms, Three Elm Lane, Tonbridge, TN11 0AD
How this rating has changed
The Carpenter's Arms was re-inspected on 1 July 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 | 5 5 | Held |
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 Tonbridge and Malling
That puts The Carpenter's Arms among the 771 places in Tonbridge and Malling holding top marks, 80% 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 | 771 | 80% | ← The Carpenter's Arms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 123 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 56 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 84 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 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 The Carpenter's 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 The Carpenter's Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budgens - Three Elms Retailers - other | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2025 |
| Greggs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2025 |
| Haywards Farmshop Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| ABM Catering At Hadlow College School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2026 |
| Azra Catering Ltd Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 January 2025 |
| Diamond Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
Questions about The Carpenter's Arms
What is The Carpenter's Arms's food hygiene rating?
The Carpenter's Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Tonbridge and Malling Council on 1 July 2026.
Is The Carpenter's Arms 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Carpenter's Arms last inspected?
The Carpenter's Arms was last inspected on 1 July 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tonbridge and Malling Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Carpenter's Arms?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Carpenter's Arms compare to other places in Tonbridge and Malling?
80% of the 968 rated food businesses in Tonbridge and Malling hold the top rating of 5, and The Carpenter's Arms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Tonbridge and Malling Council inspects The Carpenter's 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 The Carpenter's Arms 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
The Carpenter's Arms is one of 329 rated food businesses in Tonbridge. See every hygiene rating in Tonbridge →
Tonbridge and Malling inspects and rates 1,052 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tonbridge and Malling →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tmbc.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 →