5

The Gardeners Arms food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Lewes

The Gardeners Arms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 7 July 2023, more than 3 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: The Gardeners Arms 46 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AN

How it compares in Lewes

That puts The Gardeners Arms among the 741 places in Lewes holding top marks, 85% 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.

Every rated food business in Lewes
5 out of 5 741 85% ← The Gardeners Arms
4 out of 5 88 10%
3 out of 5 24 3%
2 out of 5 4 <1%
1 out of 5 11 1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 91 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Gardeners Arms 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 Gardeners Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Lansdown Health Foods Retailers - other 15 yards away 5 - Very good 1 August 2023
Cook Retailers - other 67 yards away 5 - Very good 31 March 2025
Bill's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 73 yards away 5 - Very good 11 August 2025
Blend Coffee Co. Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 73 yards away 5 - Very good 12 December 2025
Kiddie Capers Childcare Lewes Caring Premises 110 yards away 5 - Very good 5 March 2026
Dill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 128 yards away 5 - Very good 10 March 2025
Poppys Retailers - other 136 yards away 5 - Very good 18 July 2025
Riverside Brasserie Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 136 yards away 5 - Very good 15 January 2026

Questions about The Gardeners Arms

What is The Gardeners Arms's food hygiene rating?

The Gardeners Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lewes Council on 7 July 2023.

Is The Gardeners Arms 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Gardeners Arms last inspected?

The Gardeners Arms was last inspected on 7 July 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lewes Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Gardeners Arms?

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 Gardeners Arms compare to other places in Lewes?

85% of the 869 rated food businesses in Lewes hold the top rating of 5, and The Gardeners Arms is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Lewes Council inspects The Gardeners 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 The Gardeners Arms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Lewes inspects and rates 960 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lewes

The official record is held by the council: http://www.lewes-eastbourne.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 →