The Papermakers Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Tonbridge and Malling
The Papermakers Arms holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 27 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: Papermakers Arms, The Street, Plaxtol, TN15 0QJ
How it compares in Tonbridge and Malling
In Tonbridge and Malling, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Papermakers Arms sits behind roughly 894 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 771 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 123 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 56 | 6% | ← The Papermakers Arms | |
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 84 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Papermakers 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 Papermakers Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaxtol Village Stores Retailers - other | 267 yards away | 4 - Good | 9 October 2025 |
| Caterlink Ltd At Plaxtol Primary School School/college/university | 298 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Plaxtol Nursery School Caring Premises | 298 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2022 |
| Plaxtol Primary School Wraparound Care School/college/university | 298 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| The Kentish Rifleman Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 19 August 2025 |
Questions about The Papermakers Arms
What is The Papermakers Arms's food hygiene rating?
The Papermakers Arms has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Tonbridge and Malling Council on 27 February 2025.
Is The Papermakers Arms safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Papermakers Arms last inspected?
The Papermakers Arms was last inspected on 27 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tonbridge and Malling Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Papermakers Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Papermakers Arms compare to other places in Tonbridge and Malling?
80% of the 968 rated food businesses in Tonbridge and Malling hold the top rating of 5, while The Papermakers Arms holds a 3. 56 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Tonbridge and Malling Council inspects The Papermakers 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 Papermakers 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
Tonbridge and Malling inspects and rates 1,052 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tonbridge and Malling →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tmbc.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 →