The Powell food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Thanet
The Powell holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 1 August 2025, 11 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: 11 The Square, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9AF
How it compares in Thanet
That puts The Powell among the 1,413 places in Thanet holding top marks, 95% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,413 | 95% | ← The Powell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 51 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 75 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 Powell 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 Powell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fields Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2024 |
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 August 2025 |
| Mahi Tandoori Takeaway/sandwich shop | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| Birchington Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2025 |
| Birchington Village Bakery Retailers - other | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2020 |
| Birchington Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 119 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2017 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 119 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
Questions about The Powell
What is The Powell's food hygiene rating?
The Powell has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Thanet Council on 1 August 2025.
Is The Powell safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Powell last inspected?
The Powell was last inspected on 1 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Thanet Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Powell?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Powell compare to other places in Thanet?
95% of the 1,480 rated food businesses in Thanet hold the top rating of 5, and The Powell is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Thanet Council inspects The Powell 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 Powell 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 Powell is one of 79 rated food businesses in Birchington. See every hygiene rating in Birchington →
Thanet inspects and rates 1,555 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Thanet →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.thanet.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 →