The Victory food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Maidstone
The Victory holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 30 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: Farleigh Bridge, East Farleigh, Kent, ME16 9NB
How it compares in Maidstone
A 1 is rare: only 12 of 1,387 rated places in Maidstone score this low, about one in 116. By contrast 82% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,136 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 165 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 61 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ← The Victory | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Victory the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. 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 The Victory, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottoms Up Bar Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2023 |
| Cobnuts Steiner Kindergarten Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 September 2021 |
| Bridge House Fant Oast (NHS Kent And Medway) Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Bower Grove School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Chris's Food And Wine Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Blackthorn Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Barming Fish And Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 September 2024 |
| Barming Pre-School Caring Premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2020 |
Questions about The Victory
What is The Victory's food hygiene rating?
The Victory has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Maidstone Council on 30 October 2025.
Is The Victory safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub 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 The Victory last inspected?
The Victory was last inspected on 30 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 Victory?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Victory compare to other places in Maidstone?
82% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Maidstone hold the top rating of 5, while The Victory holds a 1. 12 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Maidstone Council inspects The Victory 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 Victory 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 1 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 Maidstone, 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: Maidstone
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →