Somerset Arms food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Neath Port Talbot
Somerset Arms holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 22 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: Somerset Arms, Commercial Road, Taibach, SA13 1LP
How it compares in Neath Port Talbot
A 1 is rare: only 37 of 1,139 rated places in Neath Port Talbot score this low, about one in 31. By contrast 68% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 776 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 244 | 21% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 37 | 3% | ← Somerset Arms | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 53 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 Somerset Arms 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 Somerset Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Primary School School/college/university | 76 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2025 |
| Fire Station Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2019 |
| Burger Boyz Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2024 |
| Filco Supermarkets Retailers - other | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Aldi Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 182 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2017 |
| Brownie's Bakes Retailers - other | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Happy Stars Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 January 2023 |
| Baked by Beth Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2021 |
Questions about Somerset Arms
What is Somerset Arms's food hygiene rating?
Somerset Arms has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Neath Port Talbot Council on 22 May 2025.
Is Somerset Arms safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Somerset Arms last inspected?
Somerset Arms was last inspected on 22 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Neath Port Talbot Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Somerset Arms?
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 Somerset Arms compare to other places in Neath Port Talbot?
68% of the 1,139 rated food businesses in Neath Port Talbot hold the top rating of 5, while Somerset Arms holds a 1. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Neath Port Talbot Council inspects Somerset 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 Somerset 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 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 Neath Port Talbot, 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: Neath Port Talbot
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Somerset Arms is one of 23 rated food businesses in Taibach. See every hygiene rating in Taibach →
Neath Port Talbot inspects and rates 1,192 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Neath Port Talbot →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.npt.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 →