Pied Bull food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sevenoaks
Pied Bull holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: High Street, Farningham, Dartford, DA4 0DG
How it compares in Sevenoaks
A 2 is rare: only 13 of 853 rated places in Sevenoaks score this low, about one in 66. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 669 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 118 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ← Pied Bull | |
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 104 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Pied Bull the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Pied Bull, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farningham Friday Cafe Other catering premises | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2026 |
| The Lion Pub/bar/nightclub | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| The Farningham Day Nursery Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2026 |
| Caterlink @ Anthony Roper Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 11 December 2024 |
| The Castle Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
| Normans Butchers Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2024 |
| Eglantine Villa Care Home Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 January 2025 |
| The Plough Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 September 2024 |
Questions about Pied Bull
What is Pied Bull's food hygiene rating?
Pied Bull has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Sevenoaks Council on 13 November 2024.
Is Pied Bull safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Pied Bull last inspected?
Pied Bull was last inspected on 13 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sevenoaks Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Pied Bull?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Pied Bull compare to other places in Sevenoaks?
78% of the 853 rated food businesses in Sevenoaks hold the top rating of 5, while Pied Bull holds a 2. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sevenoaks Council inspects Pied Bull 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 Pied Bull 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Sevenoaks, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Sevenoaks
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sevenoaks inspects and rates 957 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sevenoaks →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sevenoaks.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 →