The Bayleaf food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Swale
The Bayleaf holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 5 May 2026, 2 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: 8 Roman Square, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4BJ
How it compares in Swale
In Swale, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so The Bayleaf sits behind roughly 989 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 989 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 11% | ← The Bayleaf | |
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 40 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Bayleaf 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 Bayleaf, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrissie's Confectionary Takeaway/sandwich shop | 16 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2022 |
| A E Barrow And Sons Ltd Retailers - other | 57 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 August 2025 |
| Cedartree Preschool Caring Premises | 106 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2025 |
| Helps For All CIC Retailers - other | 106 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2026 |
| Fireaway Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 115 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Europe Store Retailers - other | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2024 |
| Brew And Bagel Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 153 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| Greggs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2026 |
Questions about The Bayleaf
What is The Bayleaf's food hygiene rating?
The Bayleaf has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Swale Council on 5 May 2026.
Is The Bayleaf 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Bayleaf last inspected?
The Bayleaf was last inspected on 5 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Bayleaf?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 Bayleaf compare to other places in Swale?
83% of the 1,186 rated food businesses in Swale hold the top rating of 5, while The Bayleaf holds a 4. 134 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Swale Council inspects The Bayleaf 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 Bayleaf 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 Bayleaf is one of 298 rated food businesses in Sittingbourne. See every hygiene rating in Sittingbourne →
Swale inspects and rates 1,226 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swale.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 →