Five Bells food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dover
Five Bells 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 12 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: Five Bells Lower Street, Eastry, CT13 0HX
How it compares in Dover
That puts Five Bells among the 892 places in Dover holding top marks, 82% 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 | 892 | 82% | ← Five Bells | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 114 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 45 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 112 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 Good
- 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 Five Bells 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 Five Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infinitea Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 35 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 April 2025 |
| Optima Care Caring Premises | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| First Choice Takeaway/sandwich shop | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| S And C Baitup Family Butcher Manufacturers/packers | 261 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Bakers Dozen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 268 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Premier (Eastry Village Supermarket) Retailers - other | 301 yards away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 5 June 2026 |
| Bickers Retailers - other | 345 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2025 |
| Little Explorers Nursery Caring Premises | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2025 |
Questions about Five Bells
What is Five Bells's food hygiene rating?
Five Bells has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dover Council on 12 February 2025.
Is Five Bells 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 Five Bells last inspected?
Five Bells was last inspected on 12 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dover Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Five Bells?
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 Five Bells compare to other places in Dover?
82% of the 1,086 rated food businesses in Dover hold the top rating of 5, and Five Bells is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dover Council inspects Five Bells 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 Five Bells and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dover inspects and rates 1,198 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dover →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dover.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 →