Dark Arts Bar food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Southampton
Dark Arts Bar 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 1 October 2024, 21 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: 125 High Street, Southampton, SO14 2AA
How it compares in Southampton
A 2 is rare: only 23 of 1,486 rated places in Southampton score this low, about one in 65. By contrast 68% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,016 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 278 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 146 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ← Dark Arts Bar | |
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 218 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Dark Arts Bar the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Dark Arts Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asiamart Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 May 2025 |
| Bamboo Vietnam Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 362 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| B&A Southampton Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 384 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2025 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 401 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| All Bar One West Quay Pub/bar/nightclub | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2025 |
| Bill's Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 418 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 January 2025 |
| Bella Italia Also Trading As Super Nonna Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
| Boots The Chemists Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2019 |
Questions about Dark Arts Bar
What is Dark Arts Bar's food hygiene rating?
Dark Arts Bar has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Southampton Council on 1 October 2024.
Is Dark Arts Bar 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 Dark Arts Bar last inspected?
Dark Arts Bar was last inspected on 1 October 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southampton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Dark Arts Bar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Dark Arts Bar compare to other places in Southampton?
68% of the 1,486 rated food businesses in Southampton hold the top rating of 5, while Dark Arts Bar holds a 2. 23 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southampton Council inspects Dark Arts Bar 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 Dark Arts Bar 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 Southampton, 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: Southampton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Southampton inspects and rates 1,704 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southampton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southampton.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 →