Old Blue Ball food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sandwell
Old Blue Ball holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 17 February 2025, 16 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: Old Blue Ball 19 Hall End, Wednesbury, WS10 9ED
How it compares in Sandwell
In Sandwell, 66% of rated places manage a 5, so Old Blue Ball sits behind roughly 1,561 nearby businesses. 22% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,561 | 66% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 513 | 22% | ← Old Blue Ball | |
| 3 out of 5 | 168 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 41 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 56 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | <1% |
A further 326 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 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 Old Blue Ball 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 Old Blue Ball, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartholomew Lodge Nursing Home Caring Premises | 306 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Amigo Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 June 2025 |
| Aayan Amina Mini Market Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2025 |
| 24-Seven Convenience Store Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2025 |
| Bab's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2026 |
| B & M Retail Ltd Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2018 |
| Accord Housing Caring Premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2018 |
| Asda Stores Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
Questions about Old Blue Ball
What is Old Blue Ball's food hygiene rating?
Old Blue Ball has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Sandwell Council on 17 February 2025.
Is Old Blue Ball safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Old Blue Ball last inspected?
Old Blue Ball was last inspected on 17 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sandwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Blue Ball?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Old Blue Ball compare to other places in Sandwell?
66% of the 2,350 rated food businesses in Sandwell hold the top rating of 5, while Old Blue Ball holds a 4. 513 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sandwell Council inspects Old Blue Ball 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 Old Blue Ball and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Blue Ball is one of 214 rated food businesses in Wednesbury. See every hygiene rating in Wednesbury →
Sandwell inspects and rates 2,676 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sandwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sandwell.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 →