5

The Fortescue Arms food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · South Kesteven

The Fortescue 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 18 February 2025, 16 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: Fortescue Arms, 27 High Street, Billingborough, NG34 0QB

How it compares in South Kesteven

That puts The Fortescue Arms among the 916 places in South Kesteven holding top marks, 83% 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 South Kesteven
5 out of 5 916 83% ← The Fortescue Arms
4 out of 5 109 10%
3 out of 5 49 4%
2 out of 5 11 1%
1 out of 5 12 1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 78 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 Fortescue 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 Fortescue Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Post 'N' More Retailers - other at this address 5 - Very good 9 October 2025
Blessett Butchers Retailers - other 101 yards away 5 - Very good 9 October 2025
Co-op Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 151 yards away 5 - Very good 9 October 2025
Old Hall Rest Home Caring Premises 151 yards away 5 - Very good 12 January 2026
Billingborough Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop 151 yards away 4 - Good 8 April 2025
Dobsons Convenience Store Retailers - other 170 yards away 3 - Generally satisfactory 27 May 2026
Nisa Local Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 193 yards away 4 - Good 9 October 2025
Billingborough Primary School School/college/university 362 yards away 5 - Very good 9 October 2025

Questions about The Fortescue Arms

What is The Fortescue Arms's food hygiene rating?

The Fortescue Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Kesteven Council on 18 February 2025.

Is The Fortescue 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 Fortescue Arms last inspected?

The Fortescue Arms was last inspected on 18 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Kesteven Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Fortescue Arms?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Fortescue Arms compare to other places in South Kesteven?

83% of the 1,098 rated food businesses in South Kesteven hold the top rating of 5, and The Fortescue Arms is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

South Kesteven Council inspects The Fortescue 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 Fortescue Arms 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

South Kesteven inspects and rates 1,176 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Kesteven

The official record is held by the council: http://www.southkesteven.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 →