The Square Fish Cafe food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Maidstone
The Square Fish Cafe holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the takeaway 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 13 October 2025, 8 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 Chequers Fish Bar, The Square, Lenham, ME17 2PH
How it compares in Maidstone
In Maidstone, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so The Square Fish Cafe sits behind roughly 1,136 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,136 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ← The Square Fish Cafe | |
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 65 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Square Fish Cafe 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 Square Fish Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Bake Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 11 March 2026 |
| Lenham Farm Shop Retailers - other | 21 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2023 |
| End Of The Rainbow Food Station Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 34 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2023 |
| The Bow Window Cafe And Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| The Dog And Bear Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| Lenham Village Stores Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 25 July 2024 |
| The Red Lion Pub/bar/nightclub | 58 yards away | 4 - Good | 19 November 2025 |
| Saxon Warrior Pharmacy Retailers - other | 58 yards away | Exempt |
Questions about The Square Fish Cafe
What is The Square Fish Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Square Fish Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Maidstone Council on 13 October 2025.
Is The Square Fish Cafe 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 takeaway to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Square Fish Cafe last inspected?
The Square Fish Cafe was last inspected on 13 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Maidstone Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Square Fish Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Square Fish Cafe compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, while The Square Fish Cafe holds a 4. 165 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Square Fish Cafe 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 Square Fish Cafe 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 Square Fish Cafe is one of 20 rated food businesses in Lenham. See every hygiene rating in Lenham →
Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.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 →