Geek Retreat food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Blackburn
Geek Retreat holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 14 January 2025, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 50 - 54 Church Street, Blackburn, BB1 5AL
How it compares in Blackburn
A 2 is rare: only 50 of 1,076 rated places in Blackburn score this low, about one in 22. By contrast 69% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 738 | 69% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 136 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 84 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 5% | ← Geek Retreat | |
| 1 out of 5 | 66 | 6% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 233 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Geek Retreat the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Geek Retreat, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2024 |
| Bedfords Cooked Meats Retailers - other | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
| Bubble CiTea Distributors/Transporters | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 June 2022 |
| Crust Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 220 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2025 |
| B&M Retail Retailers - other | 236 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2024 |
| Admiral Other catering premises | 253 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2025 |
| Beef King Blackburn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 303 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2026 |
| 4WAYZ Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 312 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
Questions about Geek Retreat
What is Geek Retreat's food hygiene rating?
Geek Retreat has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Blackburn Council on 14 January 2025.
Is Geek Retreat safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Geek Retreat last inspected?
Geek Retreat was last inspected on 14 January 2025, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Blackburn Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Geek Retreat?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Geek Retreat compare to other places in Blackburn?
69% of the 1,076 rated food businesses in Blackburn hold the top rating of 5, while Geek Retreat holds a 2. 50 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Blackburn Council inspects Geek Retreat 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 Geek Retreat 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 2 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 Blackburn, 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: Blackburn
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Geek Retreat is one of 1,179 rated food businesses in Blackburn With Darwen. See every hygiene rating in Blackburn With Darwen →
Blackburn inspects and rates 1,309 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Blackburn →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.blackburn.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 →