Water Margin food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Tunbridge Wells
Water Margin holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 5 February 2026, 5 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: 38 Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 8AU
How it compares in Tunbridge Wells
In Tunbridge Wells, 83% of rated places manage a 5, so Water Margin sits behind roughly 974 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 860 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 114 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ← Water Margin | |
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 45 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Water Margin 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 Water Margin, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowl Delight Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| After School Club - Honey Bee Club School/college/university | 79 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2022 |
| Fourteen Arrows Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 October 2021 |
| Fiveways Post Office Retailers - other | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2024 |
| Fireaway Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2025 |
| Basil Wholefoods Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 233 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Claudias Place At Oakley Fitness Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 233 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
Questions about Water Margin
What is Water Margin's food hygiene rating?
Water Margin has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Tunbridge Wells Council on 5 February 2026.
Is Water Margin safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Water Margin last inspected?
Water Margin was last inspected on 5 February 2026, 5 months 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 Water Margin?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Water Margin compare to other places in Tunbridge Wells?
83% of the 1,038 rated food businesses in Tunbridge Wells hold the top rating of 5, while Water Margin holds a 3. 46 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Tunbridge Wells Council inspects Water Margin 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 Water Margin and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Water Margin is one of 465 rated food businesses in Royal Tunbridge Wells. See every hygiene rating in Royal Tunbridge Wells →
Tunbridge Wells inspects and rates 1,083 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 →