Hillcrest Hotel food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Halton
Hillcrest Hotel holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the hotel requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 15 January 2026, 5 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: 95 Cronton Lane, Widnes, Halton, WA8 5AP
How it compares in Halton
A 0 is rare: only 5 of 825 rated places in Halton score this low, about one in 165. By contrast 75% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 620 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 106 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 66 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 15 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ← Hillcrest Hotel |
A further 81 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Urgent improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Urgent improvement necessary
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 Hillcrest Hotel the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Hillcrest Hotel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cronton Lane Bakery Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Cronton Fish Bar 2 Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
| Black Horse Post Office Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2021 |
| Asda Express Farnworth PFS Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Bargain Booze Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2024 |
| Co-operative Group Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2025 |
| Crossroads Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Cronton Church Of England Primary School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2025 |
Questions about Hillcrest Hotel
What is Hillcrest Hotel's food hygiene rating?
Hillcrest Hotel has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Halton Council on 15 January 2026.
Is Hillcrest Hotel safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The hotel may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Hillcrest Hotel last inspected?
Hillcrest Hotel was last inspected on 15 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Halton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hillcrest Hotel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "urgent improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "urgent improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hillcrest Hotel compare to other places in Halton?
75% of the 825 rated food businesses in Halton hold the top rating of 5, while Hillcrest Hotel holds a 0. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Halton Council inspects Hillcrest Hotel 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 Hillcrest Hotel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 0 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Halton, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Halton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hillcrest Hotel is one of 413 rated food businesses in Widnes. See every hygiene rating in Widnes →
Halton inspects and rates 906 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Halton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.halton.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 →