The Reading Rooms food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Thanet
The Reading Rooms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 April 2026, 3 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: The Reading Rooms, 31 Hawley Square, Margate, CT9 1PH
How it compares in Thanet
That puts The Reading Rooms 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,413 | 95% | ← The Reading Rooms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 The Reading Rooms 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 Reading Rooms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cake by The Ocean Manufacturers/packers | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2024 |
| 3 B's kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 213 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| C & S News Retailers - other | 213 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Bombo Doughnuts Retailers - other | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2024 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2026 |
| Aspendos Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2024 |
| Cafe Darcy Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 294 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Bar 7 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 303 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2024 |
Questions about The Reading Rooms
What is The Reading Rooms's food hygiene rating?
The Reading Rooms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Thanet Council on 2 April 2026.
Is The Reading Rooms 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Reading Rooms last inspected?
The Reading Rooms was last inspected on 2 April 2026, 3 months 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 Reading Rooms?
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 Reading Rooms compare to other places in Thanet?
95% of the 1,480 rated food businesses in Thanet hold the top rating of 5, and The Reading Rooms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Thanet Council inspects The Reading Rooms 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 Reading Rooms 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 Reading Rooms 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 →