Five Bells food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sevenoaks
Five Bells holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 14 February 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: The Five Bells, Church Road, Seal, TN15 0AU
How it compares in Sevenoaks
That puts Five Bells among the 669 places in Sevenoaks holding top marks, 78% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 669 | 78% | ← Five Bells | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 118 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 47 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 104 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Five Bells 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 Five Bells, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| H W Coldbreath Retailers - other | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| Cake It Easy Other catering premises | 73 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Lavender Fields Caring Premises | 325 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2025 |
| Inspire Academy Movement Trust School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Independent Catering Management Ltd @Tunbridge Wells Grammar School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2026 |
| Accent Catering At Weald Of Kent Annex School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2026 |
Questions about Five Bells
What is Five Bells's food hygiene rating?
Five Bells has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sevenoaks Council on 14 February 2024.
Is Five Bells safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Five Bells last inspected?
Five Bells was last inspected on 14 February 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sevenoaks Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Five Bells?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Five Bells compare to other places in Sevenoaks?
78% of the 853 rated food businesses in Sevenoaks hold the top rating of 5, and Five Bells is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sevenoaks Council inspects Five Bells 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 Five Bells and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Five Bells is one of 17 rated food businesses in Seal. See every hygiene rating in Seal →
Sevenoaks inspects and rates 957 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sevenoaks →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sevenoaks.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 →