Clarke, Norman food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Torbay
Clarke, Norman holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the hotel and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 10 December 2025, 7 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: Ashley Court Hotel 107 Abbey Road Torquay Devon, TQ2 5NP
How it compares in Torbay
A 1 is rare: only 29 of 1,158 rated places in Torbay score this low, about one in 40. By contrast 81% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 934 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 142 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 29 | 3% | ← Clarke, Norman | |
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 364 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Clarke, Norman the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. 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 Clarke, Norman, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buzz Bingo Retailers - other | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Blackmore, Gary Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2025 |
| Boots UK Limited Retailers - other | 287 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2024 |
| Carters Abbey Stores Retailers - other | 327 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2024 |
| Central Bistro Pub/bar/nightclub | 348 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Ace Pinoy and Asian Sari Sari Store Retailers - other | 363 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| Ashfield Guest House Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 375 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2013 |
| Belgrave Beefeater & Premier Inn Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 414 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
Questions about Clarke, Norman
What is Clarke, Norman's food hygiene rating?
Clarke, Norman has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Torbay Council on 10 December 2025.
Is Clarke, Norman safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The hotel 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 Clarke, Norman last inspected?
Clarke, Norman was last inspected on 10 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Torbay Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Clarke, Norman?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Clarke, Norman compare to other places in Torbay?
81% of the 1,158 rated food businesses in Torbay hold the top rating of 5, while Clarke, Norman holds a 1. 29 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Torbay Council inspects Clarke, Norman 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 Clarke, Norman 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 Torbay, 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: Torbay
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Torbay inspects and rates 1,522 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Torbay →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.torbay.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 →