Arnolds food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Belfast City
Arnolds holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the takeaway that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 12 March 2026, 4 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: 388 Upper Newtownards Road, BT4 3EY
How it compares in Belfast City
A 2 is rare: only 46 of 2,919 rated places in Belfast City score this low, about one in 63. By contrast 73% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,117 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 502 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 230 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 46 | 2% | ← Arnolds | |
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 253 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Arnolds the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Arnolds, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Gelato Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 119 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2019 |
| Belmont Bowling Club Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 206 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| Abbeyfield Belfast Society Caring Premises | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
| Belmont Play Care Caring Premises | 422 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2026 |
| Belmont PS School/college/university | 422 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2024 |
| Belmont Larder Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| Arches Care Home Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Belfast Cheesecake Co Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
Questions about Arnolds
What is Arnolds's food hygiene rating?
Arnolds has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Belfast City Council on 12 March 2026.
Is Arnolds safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Arnolds last inspected?
Arnolds was last inspected on 12 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Belfast City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Arnolds?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Arnolds compare to other places in Belfast City?
73% of the 2,919 rated food businesses in Belfast City hold the top rating of 5, while Arnolds holds a 2. 46 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Belfast City Council inspects Arnolds 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 Arnolds 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Belfast City, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Belfast City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Belfast City inspects and rates 3,172 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Belfast City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buildingcontrol-environment/foodsafety/consumers-foodhygienescheme.aspx
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 →