The blue mermaid food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dover
The blue mermaid holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 May 2025, 14 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: 18 Victoria Road, Deal, CT14 7BN
How it compares in Dover
That puts The blue mermaid among the 892 places in Dover holding top marks, 82% 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 | 892 | 82% | ← The blue mermaid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 114 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 45 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 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 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 The blue mermaid 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 blue mermaid, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hey Hey Takeaway/sandwich shop | 42 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Hog and Bean Deli and Eatery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| Icy Hog Parlour Takeaway/sandwich shop | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2024 |
| Kings Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2025 |
| J J Wood Retailers - other | 121 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2025 |
| Pop Up Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| Kings Head Ph Pub/bar/nightclub | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2025 |
| Poundstretcher Retailers - other | 151 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2025 |
Questions about The blue mermaid
What is The blue mermaid's food hygiene rating?
The blue mermaid has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dover Council on 2 May 2025.
Is The blue mermaid 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The blue mermaid last inspected?
The blue mermaid was last inspected on 2 May 2025, 14 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 blue mermaid?
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 The blue mermaid compare to other places in Dover?
82% of the 1,086 rated food businesses in Dover hold the top rating of 5, and The blue mermaid is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dover Council inspects The blue mermaid 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 blue mermaid 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 blue mermaid is one of 199 rated food businesses in Deal. See every hygiene rating in Deal →
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 →