The Malt Shovel Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lancaster City
The Malt Shovel Inn holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 29 October 2025, 8 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: The Malt Shovel, 66 Main Street, Warton, LA5 9PG
How it compares in Lancaster City
In Lancaster City, 79% of rated places manage a 5, so The Malt Shovel Inn sits behind roughly 1,038 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 865 | 79% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 173 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 44 | 4% | ← The Malt Shovel Inn | |
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 64 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Malt Shovel Inn 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 Malt Shovel Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Old School Brewery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2023 |
| Archbishop Hutton's Primary School/college/university | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
| Warton Stock Car Club Track Shop Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2026 |
| Truck Haven Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Lakes Bistro Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2025 |
| Pine Lakes Shop Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Carringtons Coffee Co Manufacturers/packers | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2025 |
Questions about The Malt Shovel Inn
What is The Malt Shovel Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Malt Shovel Inn has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Lancaster City Council on 29 October 2025.
Is The Malt Shovel Inn safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Malt Shovel Inn last inspected?
The Malt Shovel Inn was last inspected on 29 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lancaster City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Malt Shovel Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Malt Shovel Inn compare to other places in Lancaster City?
79% of the 1,101 rated food businesses in Lancaster City hold the top rating of 5, while The Malt Shovel Inn holds a 3. 44 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Lancaster City Council inspects The Malt Shovel Inn 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 Malt Shovel Inn 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 Malt Shovel Inn is one of 117 rated food businesses in Carnforth. See every hygiene rating in Carnforth →
Lancaster City inspects and rates 1,165 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lancaster City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/foodratings
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 →