The Sondes food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Swale
The Sondes holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: The Sondes was inspected on 15 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: The Sondes Arms, Crouch Lane, Selling, ME13 9PL
How it compares in Swale
That puts The Sondes among the 989 places in Swale holding top marks, 83% 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 | 989 | 83% | ← The Sondes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 134 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 40 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 Very 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 The Sondes 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 The Sondes, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaskains Ltd Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2014 |
| Breakfast/After School/Forest Clubs Selling CofE Primary Sch School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2025 |
| FHNANourish Contract Catering At Selling Primary School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2025 |
| The White Lion Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2025 |
Questions about The Sondes
What is The Sondes's food hygiene rating?
The Sondes has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Swale Council on 15 May 2026.
Is The Sondes 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Sondes last inspected?
The Sondes was last inspected on 15 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Swale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Sondes?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 The Sondes compare to other places in Swale?
83% of the 1,186 rated food businesses in Swale hold the top rating of 5, and The Sondes is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Swale Council inspects The Sondes 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 Sondes and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Swale inspects and rates 1,226 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Swale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.swale.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 →