The Mermaid Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
The Mermaid Inn holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 18 June 2025, 12 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: Mermaid Inn, The Street, Bishopsbourne, CT4 5HX
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Mermaid Inn sits behind roughly 1,161 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,161 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 185 | 12% | ← The Mermaid Inn | |
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 166 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 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 Mermaid Inn 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 Mermaid Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechborough B&B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2024 |
| Fern & Farrow Farm Shop Retailers - other | 198 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2025 |
| Gilda Bakery Ltd Farmers/growers | 198 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2025 |
| Tadpole Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 198 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 30 September 2025 |
| Fern And Farrow Mobile caterer | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Finnians Retailers - other | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2025 |
| The Barn Other catering premises | 0.8 miles away | Exempt | |
| Caretech Community Services Ltd Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2019 |
Questions about The Mermaid Inn
What is The Mermaid Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Mermaid Inn has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Canterbury City Council on 18 June 2025.
Is The Mermaid Inn safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Mermaid Inn last inspected?
The Mermaid Inn was last inspected on 18 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Mermaid Inn?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Mermaid Inn compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, while The Mermaid Inn holds a 4. 185 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Mermaid Inn 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 Mermaid Inn and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,649 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →