Joiners Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Tonbridge and Malling
Joiners Arms 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 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: 64 High Street, West Malling, Kent, ME19 6LU
How it compares in Tonbridge and Malling
A 2 is rare: only 18 of 968 rated places in Tonbridge and Malling score this low, about one in 54. By contrast 80% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 771 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 123 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 56 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ← Joiners Arms | |
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 84 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 Joiners 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 Joiners Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desh Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 16 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2025 |
| Bombay Cuisine Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2023 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| Imperial Dynasty Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Frank's Restaurant And Mussel Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Angel Catering Other catering premises | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Breakfast Club School/college/university | 315 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2022 |
Questions about Joiners Arms
What is Joiners Arms's food hygiene rating?
Joiners Arms has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Tonbridge and Malling Council on 18 June 2025.
Is Joiners Arms 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 Joiners Arms last inspected?
Joiners Arms was last inspected on 18 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tonbridge and Malling Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Joiners Arms?
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 Joiners Arms compare to other places in Tonbridge and Malling?
80% of the 968 rated food businesses in Tonbridge and Malling hold the top rating of 5, while Joiners Arms holds a 2. 18 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Tonbridge and Malling Council inspects Joiners 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 Joiners 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 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 Tonbridge and Malling, 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: Tonbridge and Malling
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Joiners Arms is one of 134 rated food businesses in West Malling. See every hygiene rating in West Malling →
Tonbridge and Malling inspects and rates 1,052 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tonbridge and Malling →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tmbc.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 →