5

The Lighthouse Bar food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Thanet

The Lighthouse Bar 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 31 May 2024, more than 2 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: 1-2 Harbour Arm, Stone Pier, Margate, CT9 1AP

How it compares in Thanet

That puts The Lighthouse Bar among the 1,413 places in Thanet holding top marks, 95% 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 Thanet
5 out of 5 1,413 95% ← The Lighthouse Bar
4 out of 5 51 3%
3 out of 5 7 <1%
2 out of 5 3 <1%
1 out of 5 6 <1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 75 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 Lighthouse Bar 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 Lighthouse Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Charlie's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 262 yards away 5 - Very good 7 January 2026
Angela's of Margate Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 268 yards away 5 - Very good 7 October 2025
Alexandria Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 285 yards away 5 - Very good 23 August 2023
Barnacles Pub/bar/nightclub 289 yards away 5 - Very good 23 February 2015
Bombo Doughnuts Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 289 yards away 5 - Very good 5 July 2024
Bottega Caruso, The Crown Gallery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 293 yards away 5 - Very good 2 April 2025
Buoy and Oyster Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 295 yards away 5 - Very good 19 October 2024
Cafe Del Margs Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 300 yards away 5 - Very good 20 August 2025

Questions about The Lighthouse Bar

What is The Lighthouse Bar's food hygiene rating?

The Lighthouse Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Thanet Council on 31 May 2024.

Is The Lighthouse Bar 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 Lighthouse Bar last inspected?

The Lighthouse Bar was last inspected on 31 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Thanet Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Lighthouse Bar?

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 Lighthouse Bar compare to other places in Thanet?

95% of the 1,480 rated food businesses in Thanet hold the top rating of 5, and The Lighthouse Bar is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Thanet Council inspects The Lighthouse Bar 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 Lighthouse Bar 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 Lighthouse Bar is one of 446 rated food businesses in Margate. See every hygiene rating in Margate

Thanet inspects and rates 1,555 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Thanet

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