The East Kent food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Canterbury City
The East Kent holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 26 September 2025, 9 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: 72 Oxford Street, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1DA
How it compares in Canterbury City
In Canterbury City, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The East Kent sits behind roughly 1,346 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,161 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 185 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ← The East Kent | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The East Kent 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 East Kent, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Legion Social Centre Pub/bar/nightclub | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2018 |
| Kakawa Artisan Chocolate & Co Ltd Retailers - other | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2024 |
| Drift Bistro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Co-Op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 March 2024 |
| Co-Op Stores Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 108 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2026 |
| Labour Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Inclusive Sport (After School Club) School/college/university | 142 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2025 |
| Castellum Pizzeria Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 162 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2025 |
Questions about The East Kent
What is The East Kent's food hygiene rating?
The East Kent has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Canterbury City Council on 26 September 2025.
Is The East Kent safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The East Kent last inspected?
The East Kent was last inspected on 26 September 2025, 9 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 East Kent?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 The East Kent 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 East Kent holds a 3. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The East Kent 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 East Kent and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The East Kent is one of 294 rated food businesses in Whitstable. See every hygiene rating in Whitstable →
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 →