The Black Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Ashford
The Black Lion holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 24 February 2026, 4 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 Black Lion 15 The Street, Appledore, TN26 2BU
How it compares in Ashford
In Ashford, 89% of rated places manage a 5, so The Black Lion sits behind roughly 1,039 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,039 | 89% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 90 | 8% | ← The Black Lion | |
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 107 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Black Lion 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 Black Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miss Mollett's High Class Tea Room Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 116 yards away | 4 - Good | 21 March 2025 |
| Appledore Village Stores Retailers - other | 230 yards away | 4 - Good | 27 November 2024 |
| The Ferry Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2024 |
Questions about The Black Lion
What is The Black Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Black Lion has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Ashford Council on 24 February 2026.
Is The Black Lion safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Black Lion last inspected?
The Black Lion was last inspected on 24 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ashford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Black Lion compare to other places in Ashford?
89% of the 1,161 rated food businesses in Ashford hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Lion holds a 4. 90 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ashford Council inspects The Black Lion 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 Black Lion 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
Ashford inspects and rates 1,268 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ashford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ashford.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 →