The Fountain food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Folkestone and Hythe
The Fountain holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: The Fountain was inspected on 31 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
94% of rated food businesses in Folkestone and Hythe score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Folkestone and Hythe ratings →
Address: The Fountain 171 Seabrook Road, Hythe, CT21 5RT
How this rating has changed
The Fountain has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 31 July 2026, and now holds a 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2026 | 5 4 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Folkestone and Hythe
In Folkestone and Hythe, 85% of rated places manage a 5, so The Fountain sits behind roughly 985 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 985 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 108 | 9% | ← The Fountain | |
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 140 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 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 Fountain 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 Fountain, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP (Spar) Retailers - other | 375 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2023 |
| Abbey Lodge Residential Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Britannia Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| Earl of Clarendon Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2026 |
| Army - Junior Ranks Mess (Everest Restaurant) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2019 |
| Army - Officers Mess Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2019 |
| Army - Premier Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2023 |
| Army - Sergeants Mess Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2019 |
Questions about The Fountain
What is The Fountain's food hygiene rating?
The Fountain has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Folkestone and Hythe Council on 31 July 2026.
Is The Fountain safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Fountain last inspected?
The Fountain was last inspected on 31 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Folkestone and Hythe Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Fountain?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Fountain compare to other places in Folkestone and Hythe?
85% of the 1,162 rated food businesses in Folkestone and Hythe hold the top rating of 5, while The Fountain holds a 4. 108 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Folkestone and Hythe Council inspects The Fountain 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 Fountain and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Fountain is one of 128 rated food businesses in Hythe. See every hygiene rating in Hythe →
Folkestone and Hythe inspects and rates 1,302 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Folkestone and Hythe →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.folkestone-hythe.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 →