Smiths Bakery food hygiene rating
Manufacturers/packers · Tunbridge Wells
Smiths Bakery holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the food producer and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Smiths Bakery was inspected on 22 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Tunbridge Wells score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Tunbridge Wells ratings →
Address: Smiths Patisserie, 185 Silverdale Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9HT
How this rating has changed
Smiths Bakery has gone backwards: it held a 4 before its inspection on 22 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 2026 | 4 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Tunbridge Wells
A 1 is rare: only 7 of 1,043 rated places in Tunbridge Wells score this low, about one in 149. By contrast 83% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 866 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 119 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ← Smiths Bakery | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 38 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 Major improvement necessary
- 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 Smiths Bakery the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and 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 Smiths Bakery, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 141 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Budgens Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2021 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2025 |
| Costcutter Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2011 |
| Cafe Viva Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| Black Horse P H Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2022 |
| Bagel Bistro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2025 |
| Camden Butchers Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2025 |
Questions about Smiths Bakery
What is Smiths Bakery's food hygiene rating?
Smiths Bakery has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Tunbridge Wells Council on 22 July 2026.
Is Smiths Bakery safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The food producer 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 Smiths Bakery last inspected?
Smiths Bakery was last inspected on 22 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tunbridge Wells Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Smiths Bakery?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", 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 Smiths Bakery compare to other places in Tunbridge Wells?
83% of the 1,043 rated food businesses in Tunbridge Wells hold the top rating of 5, while Smiths Bakery holds a 1. 7 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Tunbridge Wells Council inspects Smiths Bakery 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 Smiths Bakery 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 Tunbridge Wells, 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: Tunbridge Wells
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Smiths Bakery is one of 465 rated food businesses in Royal Tunbridge Wells. See every hygiene rating in Royal Tunbridge Wells →
Tunbridge Wells inspects and rates 1,081 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tunbridge Wells →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tunbridgewells.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 →