Should you open a Turkish restaurant in Swale?
Quick answer
Swale scores 71 out of 100 on our demand index — likely worth exploring. The council currently has 8 Turkish restaurants against an estimated 2,107 monthly searches for Turkish food, which works out to roughly 13,789 residents for every Turkish restaurant already trading here. The single biggest factor behind that number is local search interest per restaurant, which ranks higher here than in most other councils in England and Wales. That combination of supply, search interest and population is what the verdict above is based on: Swale looks likely worth exploring for someone weighing up whether to open a Turkish restaurant in the area, relative to every other council we track.
Read next: How to Open a Turkish Restaurant in the UK in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
How this score breaks down
How Swale compares in South East
Swale ranks 14 of 64 councils in South East by demand score, and 15 of 64 by number of Turkish restaurants. The table below shows its four nearest neighbours by score.
| Council | Demand score | Verdict | Turkish restaurants | Monthly searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swale | 71 | Underserved | 8 | 2,107 |
| Vale of White Horse | 71 | Underserved | 1 | 1,027 |
| Cherwell | 71 | Underserved | 5 | 1,190 |
| Southampton | 71 | Underserved | 16 | 2,240 |
| Dartford | 70 | Underserved | 4 | 1,090 |
Where the gap is
- Swale doesn't show an obvious quality or saturation gap: its restaurants average 4.6 stars (close to the 4.3-star England & Wales average), and its 8 restaurants look broadly in line with local demand — a balanced market rather than an obvious opening.
The hygiene picture
Of the 8 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in Swale, 67% are rated 5 (the top FSA score) and 0% are rated 2 or below, with 0 still awaiting inspection — hygiene standards locally are mixed, leaving room to differentiate on cleanliness.
Where they cluster: Most Turkish restaurants in Swale sit in ME10, ME13 and ME12 — 4 in ME10, 2 in ME13, 2 in ME12.
Restaurants already here
| Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|
| Galata Meze | ME10 3DU | 5 |
| Island Fish Bar Ltd | ME12 1UB | 5 |
| Anatolia Kitchen Meze Bar | ME10 4PB | 4 |
| Best Kebab Sittingbourne | ME10 4RT | — |
| Faversham Kebab House | ME13 8PG | — |
| Georges' Restaurant | ME13 8PG | — |
| Sheerness Turkish Meze & Mangal | ME12 1TX | — |
| Sittingbourne Kebab & Pizza | ME10 4RT | — |
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in Swale with a mid-range fit-out, using our small-town cost assumptions, comes to roughly £174,402 – £348,546 up front. The two largest lines are fit-out & build (£90,000 – £150,000) and kitchen equipment (£20,847 – £76,060).
Open the full cost calculator for Swale →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in Swale?
- Swale currently has 8 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in Swale?
- Yes — an estimated 2,107 monthly searches relate to Turkish food in Swale, giving it a demand score of 71/100.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in Swale?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £174,402 – £348,546 to open in Swale, based on our cost model.
- How does Swale compare to the rest of South East?
- Swale scores 71/100 and ranks 14 of 64 in South East. The region's top-scoring council is Oxford, at 89/100.
Thinking about opening here?
Tell us where, and we'll send you the local numbers — population, competition, and rent benchmarks.