Golden Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dover
Golden Lion 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 17 December 2025, 6 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: 11 Priory Street, Dover, CT17 9AA
How it compares in Dover
A 1 is rare: only 15 of 1,086 rated places in Dover score this low, about one in 72. 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 | 892 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 113 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ← Golden Lion | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 112 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 Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillos Food Centre Takeaway/sandwich shop | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| Anikeoniworobo Global ltd Retailers - other | 79 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2026 |
| Dover Sea Angling Association Pub/bar/nightclub | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2024 |
| Greggs Manufacturers/packers | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2025 |
| Fairy Dreams Retailers - other | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2024 |
| Brunch Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 113 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
| Biggin Off Licence Retailers - other | 113 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2024 |
| Boots UK Limited Retailers - other | 118 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
Questions about Golden Lion
What is Golden Lion's food hygiene rating?
Golden Lion has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Dover Council on 17 December 2025.
Is Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion last inspected?
Golden Lion was last inspected on 17 December 2025, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dover Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Golden Lion?
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 Golden Lion compare to other places in Dover?
82% of the 1,086 rated food businesses in Dover hold the top rating of 5, while Golden Lion holds a 1. 15 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dover Council inspects Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion 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 Dover, 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: Dover
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dover inspects and rates 1,198 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dover →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dover.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 →