Merlyns Chicken Ltd food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Medway
Merlyns Chicken Ltd holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 26 January 2026, 5 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: 173 High Street, Chatham, Medway, ME4 4BA
How it compares in Medway
In Medway, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so Merlyns Chicken Ltd sits behind roughly 1,577 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ← Merlyns Chicken Ltd | |
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Merlyns Chicken Ltd 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 Merlyns Chicken Ltd, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| BB's Coffee & Muffins Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2024 |
| Boots The Chemist Retailers - other | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2023 |
| Blueberry Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 112 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2024 |
| Brand Cakez Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 208 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Best Foods Center Retailers - other | 258 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2024 |
| Benjamin Rabbit Nursery Caring Premises | 276 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| B&M Retailers - other | 291 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Arena Lounge Other catering premises | 417 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 November 2023 |
Questions about Merlyns Chicken Ltd
What is Merlyns Chicken Ltd's food hygiene rating?
Merlyns Chicken Ltd has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Medway Council on 26 January 2026.
Is Merlyns Chicken Ltd 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Merlyns Chicken Ltd last inspected?
Merlyns Chicken Ltd was last inspected on 26 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Merlyns Chicken Ltd?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Merlyns Chicken Ltd compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, while Merlyns Chicken Ltd holds a 4. 279 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects Merlyns Chicken Ltd 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 Merlyns Chicken Ltd and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Merlyns Chicken Ltd is one of 409 rated food businesses in Chatham. See every hygiene rating in Chatham →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →