Town Arms food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · North Devon
Town Arms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 18 March 2024, more than 2 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: 124 East Street, South Molton, Devon, EX36 3BU
How it compares in North Devon
That puts Town Arms among the 1,107 places in North Devon holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,107 | 84% | ← Town Arms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 129 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 42 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 150 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 Town 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 Town Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shapland And Searle Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Mays Family Butchers Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 13 March 2026 |
| Zest Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 15 August 2025 |
| Istanbul Grill & Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 53 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Grand Barista Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2017 |
| Kings B&B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 84 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| Spar Retailers - other | 112 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Pagoda Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop | 125 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 August 2025 |
Questions about Town Arms
What is Town Arms's food hygiene rating?
Town Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Devon Council on 18 March 2024.
Is Town 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Town Arms last inspected?
Town Arms was last inspected on 18 March 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Town Arms?
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 Town Arms compare to other places in North Devon?
84% of the 1,317 rated food businesses in North Devon hold the top rating of 5, and Town Arms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Devon Council inspects Town 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 Town 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
Town Arms is one of 99 rated food businesses in South Molton. See every hygiene rating in South Molton →
North Devon inspects and rates 1,467 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northdevon.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 →