The Running Horses food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sefton
The Running Horses holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 24 September 2025, 9 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: 25 Bells Lane, Lydiate, L31 4EN
How it compares in Sefton
That puts The Running Horses among the 1,796 places in Sefton holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,796 | 84% | ← The Running Horses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 216 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 83 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 15 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 265 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 Running Horses 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 Running Horses, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusty Cob Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Lydiate Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2025 |
| Maghull Community Association Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Coach & Horses Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Lu & Lo Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| Lydiate Village Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2017 |
| Explorers Lydiate Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
| First Class Nursery Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
Questions about The Running Horses
What is The Running Horses's food hygiene rating?
The Running Horses has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sefton Council on 24 September 2025.
Is The Running Horses 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Running Horses last inspected?
The Running Horses was last inspected on 24 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sefton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Running Horses?
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 Running Horses compare to other places in Sefton?
84% of the 2,128 rated food businesses in Sefton hold the top rating of 5, and The Running Horses is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sefton Council inspects The Running Horses 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 Running Horses and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Running Horses is one of 27 rated food businesses in Lydiate. See every hygiene rating in Lydiate →
Sefton inspects and rates 2,393 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sefton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sefton.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 →