The Kings Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
The Kings Arms 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 6 February 2025, 17 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: Kings Arms Bleke Street, Shaftesbury, SP7 8JZ
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Kings Arms among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← The Kings Arms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 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 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 The Kings Arms 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 Kings Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ship Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2023 |
| Harvest Hill Produce Market Retailers - other | 110 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2023 |
| Farm Soap Co Retailers - other | 125 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| The Grosvenor Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
| La Fleur de Lys Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Aroma Indian Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 140 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 April 2024 |
| China Cottage Takeaway/sandwich shop | 140 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2024 |
| Pamplemousse Dorset Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 140 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2025 |
Questions about The Kings Arms
What is The Kings Arms's food hygiene rating?
The Kings Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 6 February 2025.
Is The Kings Arms 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 The Kings Arms last inspected?
The Kings Arms was last inspected on 6 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Kings Arms?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Kings Arms compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Kings Arms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Kings Arms 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 Kings Arms 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
The Kings Arms is one of 98 rated food businesses in Shaftesbury. See every hygiene rating in Shaftesbury →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →