The Thompsons Bell Walmer food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dover
The Thompsons Bell Walmer 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 13 May 2025, 13 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: 335 Dover Road, Walmer, CT14 7NX
How it compares in Dover
A 2 is rare: only 18 of 1,086 rated places in Dover score this low, about one in 60. By contrast 82% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 892 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 113 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ← The Thompsons Bell Walmer | |
| 1 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 112 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling 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 Thompsons Bell Walmer 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 Thompsons Bell Walmer, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jane's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2025 |
| Goodchild's Of Walmer Retailers - other | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2025 |
| General Meadows Residential Home Caring Premises | 390 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Lord Wardens Tea Room & Glasshouse Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2025 |
| Cinque Ports Sports Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 April 2024 |
| Ossies fish bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Deal Pantry Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| Deal Welfare Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 February 2024 |
Questions about The Thompsons Bell Walmer
What is The Thompsons Bell Walmer's food hygiene rating?
The Thompsons Bell Walmer has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Dover Council on 13 May 2025.
Is The Thompsons Bell Walmer 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 The Thompsons Bell Walmer last inspected?
The Thompsons Bell Walmer was last inspected on 13 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dover Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Thompsons Bell Walmer?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Thompsons Bell Walmer compare to other places in Dover?
82% of the 1,086 rated food businesses in Dover hold the top rating of 5, while The Thompsons Bell Walmer holds a 2. 18 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dover Council inspects The Thompsons Bell Walmer 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 Thompsons Bell Walmer 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 Dover, 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: Dover
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Thompsons Bell Walmer is one of 60 rated food businesses in Walmer. See every hygiene rating in Walmer →
Dover inspects and rates 1,198 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dover →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dover.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 →