Follow The Swirl food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Thanet
Follow The Swirl holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 16 May 2025, 13 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: 12A King Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 1DA
How it compares in Thanet
That puts Follow The Swirl among the 1,413 places in Thanet holding top marks, 95% 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 | 1,413 | 95% | ← Follow The Swirl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 51 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 75 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 Very 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 Follow The Swirl 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 Follow The Swirl, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottega Caruso, The Crown Gallery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Cafe Del Margs Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Barnacles Pub/bar/nightclub | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2015 |
| Bombo Doughnuts Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 July 2024 |
| Bow's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2026 |
| Charlie's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2026 |
| Carolines Catering Other catering premises | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
| Alexandria Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2023 |
Questions about Follow The Swirl
What is Follow The Swirl's food hygiene rating?
Follow The Swirl has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Thanet Council on 16 May 2025.
Is Follow The Swirl 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Follow The Swirl last inspected?
Follow The Swirl was last inspected on 16 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Thanet Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Follow The Swirl?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Follow The Swirl compare to other places in Thanet?
95% of the 1,480 rated food businesses in Thanet hold the top rating of 5, and Follow The Swirl is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Thanet Council inspects Follow The Swirl 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 Follow The Swirl and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Follow The Swirl is one of 446 rated food businesses in Margate. See every hygiene rating in Margate →
Thanet inspects and rates 1,555 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Thanet →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.thanet.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 →