Smugglers Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
Smugglers Inn holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 8 May 2026, 2 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: 1 School Lane, Herne, Kent, CT6 7AN
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so Smugglers Inn sits behind roughly 1,346 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,160 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ← Smugglers Inn | |
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 166 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Smugglers Inn 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 Smugglers Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herne Village Stores Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Herne Community Centre Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 135 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Beaver Lodge Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2023 |
| Broomfield Lodge Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| HMT Care Limited Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2025 |
| Herne Bay Hockey Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2024 |
| Herne Bay Sports Hub Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2021 |
| Herne Bay Tennis Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2024 |
Questions about Smugglers Inn
What is Smugglers Inn's food hygiene rating?
Smugglers Inn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Canterbury City Council on 8 May 2026.
Is Smugglers Inn safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Smugglers Inn last inspected?
Smugglers Inn was last inspected on 8 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Smugglers Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Smugglers Inn compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, while Smugglers Inn holds a 3. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects Smugglers Inn 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 Smugglers Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,649 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →