The Bench Cafe LTD food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Medway
The Bench Cafe LTD 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
This is a fresh result: The Bench Cafe LTD was inspected on 27 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Strood Sports Centre, Watling Street, Strood, ME2 3JQ
How it compares in Medway
That puts The Bench Cafe LTD among the 1,576 places in Medway holding top marks, 80% 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 | 1,576 | 80% | ← The Bench Cafe LTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 280 | 14% | ||
| 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 174 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 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 Bench Cafe 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 The Bench Cafe LTD, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel & Bun Xpress Takeaway/sandwich shop | 158 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2026 |
| Castle View House Caring Premises | 214 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2026 |
| Castleview Day Nursery Caring Premises | 270 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2025 |
| Bread Of Life Retailers - other | 344 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2024 |
| Balti Express Takeaway/sandwich shop | 350 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Bryant Road Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Bryant Road Newsagents Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
| African Shop Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
Questions about The Bench Cafe LTD
What is The Bench Cafe LTD's food hygiene rating?
The Bench Cafe LTD has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Medway Council on 27 May 2026.
Is The Bench Cafe LTD 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 Bench Cafe LTD last inspected?
The Bench Cafe LTD was last inspected on 27 May 2026, a month 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 The Bench Cafe LTD?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Bench Cafe LTD compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, and The Bench Cafe LTD is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects The Bench Cafe 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 The Bench Cafe LTD 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Bench Cafe LTD is one of 531 rated food businesses in Rochester. See every hygiene rating in Rochester →
Medway inspects and rates 2,138 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 →