Kings Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dorset
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 2 May 2025, 14 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: 2 Front Street, Portesham, DT3 4ET
How it compares in Dorset
A 1 is rare: only 3 of 3,992 rated places in Dorset score this low, about one in 1,331. By contrast 96% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,813 | 96% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 138 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ← Kings Arms | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,126 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- 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 Kings Arms the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Kings Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Norse Ltd School/college/university | 167 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2025 |
| Portesham Village Lunch Club Other catering premises | 422 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
| Portesham Village Hall Other catering premises | 422 yards away | Exempt | |
| Ducks Farm Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 440 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| Portesham Dairy Farm Campsite Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 September 2021 |
Questions about Kings Arms
What is Kings Arms's food hygiene rating?
Kings Arms has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Dorset Council on 2 May 2025.
Is 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 Kings Arms last inspected?
Kings Arms was last inspected on 2 May 2025, 14 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Kings Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Kings Arms compare to other places in Dorset?
96% of the 3,992 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, while Kings Arms holds a 1. 3 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects 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 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 Dorset, 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: Dorset
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dorset inspects and rates 5,118 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →