The City Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Elmbridge
The City Arms holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 3 February 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: Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0XE
How it compares in Elmbridge
A 1 is rare: only 17 of 988 rated places in Elmbridge score this low, about one in 58. By contrast 77% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 757 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 128 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ← The City Arms | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 127 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- 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 The City Arms the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. 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 The City Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachmann's Patisserie Retailers - other | 342 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2026 |
| Annys News Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2024 |
| Alcheme Wellbeing Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 June 2025 |
Questions about The City Arms
What is The City Arms's food hygiene rating?
The City Arms has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Elmbridge Council on 3 February 2026.
Is The City Arms safe to eat at?
A 1 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 The City Arms last inspected?
The City Arms was last inspected on 3 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Elmbridge Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The City Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", 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 The City Arms compare to other places in Elmbridge?
77% of the 988 rated food businesses in Elmbridge hold the top rating of 5, while The City Arms holds a 1. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Elmbridge Council inspects The City 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 City 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 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 Elmbridge, 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: Elmbridge
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The City Arms is one of 69 rated food businesses in Thames Ditton. See every hygiene rating in Thames Ditton →
Elmbridge inspects and rates 1,115 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Elmbridge →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/food
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 →