The Merchants Arms

Hotwells

Food hygiene rating 4 / 5 · Good

Squeaky clean

The Merchants Arms scored a 4 out of 5 at its last inspection. Tuck in.

The breakdown

Hygiene Good Cleanliness & condition Good Confidence in management Generally satisfactory

Last inspected on 13 February 2026 by Bristol.

What does this rating mean?

The Merchants Arms in Hotwells has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good). On the Food Standards Agency scale, 5 is the best and 0 is the worst. A 4 out of 5 is good. Hygiene standards were found to be good at the last inspection, just short of the top mark.

The rating reflects standards found at the last inspection. It is not a verdict on how the food tastes - it scores how well the business manages food safety. How often a place is inspected depends on its risk: lower-rated and higher-risk businesses are revisited more often than spotless ones.

Where is it?

5 Merchants Road,
Hotwells,
Bristol,
BS8 4PZ

This is the official Food Standards Agency hygiene badge for The Merchants Arms. The data is published by the FSA under the Open Government Licence.

Who inspects The Merchants Arms?

Food hygiene at The Merchants Arms is inspected by Bristol, the local authority responsible for this area. You can reach them at http://www.bristol.gov.uk or [email protected].

Questions about The Merchants Arms

What is The Merchants Arms’s food hygiene rating?

The Merchants Arms has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (Good), based on its last Food Standards Agency inspection on 13 February 2026.

When was The Merchants Arms last inspected?

The Merchants Arms was last inspected by Bristol on 13 February 2026.

Is a 4 out of 5 hygiene rating good?

A 4 out of 5 is good. Hygiene standards were found to be good at the last inspection, just short of the top mark.

What do the food hygiene scores mean?

The rating combines three checks made on the day of the inspection: how hygienically food is handled, the cleanliness and condition of the premises, and how confident the inspector is that management will keep standards up. A higher overall score, from 0 up to 5, means fewer problems were found.