The Firkin Bar food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Helens
The Firkin Bar 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 4 February 2025, 17 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: 65 High Street, Newton le Willows, WA12 9SL
How it compares in St Helens
In St Helens, 72% of rated places manage a 5, so The Firkin Bar sits behind roughly 911 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 911 | 72% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 200 | 16% | ← The Firkin Bar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 105 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 93 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 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 Firkin Bar 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 Firkin Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishician Takeaway/sandwich shop | 26 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 April 2026 |
| Drinkworthy Ltd Retailers - other | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2025 |
| Fika Coffee and Home (catering premises) Retailers - other | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| Goya Bistro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 82 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2024 |
| Amans Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 82 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 March 2026 |
| Bargain Booze Retailers - other | 108 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2024 |
| Fika Coffee and Home Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 115 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2025 |
| Esso Shop and Drive Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2023 |
Questions about The Firkin Bar
What is The Firkin Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Firkin Bar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by St Helens Council on 4 February 2025.
Is The Firkin Bar 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 The Firkin Bar last inspected?
The Firkin Bar was last inspected on 4 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Helens Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Firkin Bar?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Firkin Bar compare to other places in St Helens?
72% of the 1,274 rated food businesses in St Helens hold the top rating of 5, while The Firkin Bar holds a 4. 200 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
St Helens Council inspects The Firkin Bar 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 Firkin Bar 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 Firkin Bar is one of 150 rated food businesses in Newton le Willows. See every hygiene rating in Newton le Willows →
St Helens inspects and rates 1,367 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Helens →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sthelens.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 →