The Kings Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cornwall
The Kings Arms 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 19 September 2025, 9 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: Kings Arms, 17 Fore Street, Mevagissey, PL26 6UQ
How it compares in Cornwall
A 1 is rare: only 38 of 5,277 rated places in Cornwall score this low, about one in 139. By contrast 85% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 4,461 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 522 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 212 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 42 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 38 | 1% | ← The Kings Arms | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 51 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 The Kings Arms the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 The Kings Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Salamander Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 9 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Cubs Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 14 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 November 2023 |
| The Fish Grill And More Mobile caterer | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2024 |
| Harbour Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 21 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 August 2024 |
| The Ship Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 28 yards away | 4 - Good | 8 June 2026 |
| 1747 Sandwich Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 35 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2025 |
| The Cornish Fudge Shop Retailers - other | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2024 |
| Js Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
Questions about The Kings Arms
What is The Kings Arms's food hygiene rating?
The Kings Arms has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cornwall Council on 19 September 2025.
Is The Kings Arms 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 Kings Arms last inspected?
The Kings Arms was last inspected on 19 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cornwall Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Kings Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 The Kings Arms compare to other places in Cornwall?
85% of the 5,277 rated food businesses in Cornwall hold the top rating of 5, while The Kings Arms holds a 1. 38 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cornwall Council inspects The Kings Arms 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 Kings Arms 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 Cornwall, 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: Cornwall
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Kings Arms is one of 353 rated food businesses in St Austell. See every hygiene rating in St Austell →
Cornwall inspects and rates 5,328 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cornwall →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cornwall.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 →