Horse & Groom food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Wealden
Horse & Groom 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 21 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: The Horse And Groom 1 High Street, Polegate, BN26 5HA
How it compares in Wealden
That puts Horse & Groom among the 1,013 places in Wealden holding top marks, 77% 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 | 1,013 | 77% | ← Horse & Groom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 218 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 54 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 Very 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 Horse & Groom 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 Horse & Groom, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernhard Baron Care Home Caring Premises | 182 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2024 |
| Eastbourne & District Preservation Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2022 |
| Achieve Together Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2021 |
| Achieve Together. Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 September 2022 |
| Morrisons Daily Manufacturers/packers | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Maggie's Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Lower Willingdon Pre School Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
Questions about Horse & Groom
What is Horse & Groom's food hygiene rating?
Horse & Groom has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Wealden Council on 21 January 2026.
Is Horse & Groom 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 Horse & Groom last inspected?
Horse & Groom was last inspected on 21 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Wealden Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Horse & Groom?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Horse & Groom compare to other places in Wealden?
77% of the 1,308 rated food businesses in Wealden hold the top rating of 5, and Horse & Groom is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Wealden Council inspects Horse & Groom 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 Horse & Groom 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Horse & Groom is one of 51 rated food businesses in Polegate. See every hygiene rating in Polegate →
Wealden inspects and rates 1,362 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Wealden →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.wealden.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 →