Bell Hotel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dover
Bell Hotel 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
This is a fresh result: Bell Hotel was inspected on 3 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Bell Hotel 1 Upper Strand Street, Sandwich, CT13 9EF
How it compares in Dover
That puts Bell Hotel 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% | ← Bell Hotel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 113 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Bell Hotel 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 Bell Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Crispin Inn Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
| The Drill Hall Other catering premises | 86 yards away | 4 - Good | 23 July 2025 |
| The Toll Bridge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| St Peters B & B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 103 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2022 |
| Spar Sandwich Retailers - other | 137 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 30 April 2026 |
| My Thai Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| George and Dragon Pub/bar/nightclub | 139 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Sandwich Convenience Store Retailers - other | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2023 |
Questions about Bell Hotel
What is Bell Hotel's food hygiene rating?
Bell Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dover Council on 3 June 2026.
Is Bell Hotel 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 Bell Hotel last inspected?
Bell Hotel was last inspected on 3 June 2026, a month 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 Bell Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Bell Hotel compare to other places in Dover?
82% of the 1,086 rated food businesses in Dover hold the top rating of 5, and Bell Hotel is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dover Council inspects Bell Hotel 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 Bell Hotel 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
Bell Hotel is one of 85 rated food businesses in Sandwich. See every hygiene rating in Sandwich →
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 →