The Elephants Head food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Tunbridge Wells
The Elephants Head 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
The rating dates from 27 October 2025, 8 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: Elephants Head, Furnace Lane, Lamberhurst, TN3 8LJ
How it compares in Tunbridge Wells
That puts The Elephants Head among the 860 places in Tunbridge Wells holding top marks, 83% 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 | 860 | 83% | ← The Elephants Head | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 114 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 45 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 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 Elephants Head 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 Elephants Head, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayham And Lamberhurst Bowls Pub/bar/nightclub | 35 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 April 2011 |
| Fidgets Pre School And Nursery Caring Premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2026 |
| Victoria House Stores Retailers - other | 1.3 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Chequers Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.3 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 23 April 2026 |
| Teise And Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 17 September 2025 |
| Bewl Rookery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 June 2025 |
| The Old Vine Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 31 March 2020 |
| Lamberhurst Golf Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2025 |
Questions about The Elephants Head
What is The Elephants Head's food hygiene rating?
The Elephants Head has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Tunbridge Wells Council on 27 October 2025.
Is The Elephants Head 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 Elephants Head last inspected?
The Elephants Head was last inspected on 27 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tunbridge Wells Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Elephants Head?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", 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 Elephants Head compare to other places in Tunbridge Wells?
83% of the 1,038 rated food businesses in Tunbridge Wells hold the top rating of 5, and The Elephants Head is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Tunbridge Wells Council inspects The Elephants Head 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 Elephants Head and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Tunbridge Wells inspects and rates 1,083 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tunbridge Wells →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tunbridgewells.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 →