The Signal Box Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Maidstone
The Signal Box Cafe holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 30 January 2026, 5 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: Station House, Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne, ME17 1TX
How it compares in Maidstone
That puts The Signal Box Cafe among the 1,136 places in Maidstone holding top marks, 82% 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 | 1,136 | 82% | ← The Signal Box Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 65 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 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 Signal Box Cafe 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 Signal Box Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Loaves Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2026 |
| The Windmill Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Caterlink At Hollingbourne County Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2026 |
| Penn Oast Vineyard Manufacturers/packers | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2025 |
| Michelle Archer Nursery Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| Chozen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Days Inn Maidstone Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
Questions about The Signal Box Cafe
What is The Signal Box Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Signal Box Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Maidstone Council on 30 January 2026.
Is The Signal Box Cafe 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Signal Box Cafe last inspected?
The Signal Box Cafe was last inspected on 30 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Signal Box Cafe?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Signal Box Cafe compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, and The Signal Box Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Signal Box Cafe 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 Signal Box Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.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 →