The Red Cow food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dudley
The Red Cow holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 5 November 2024, 20 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: 84 Grosvenor Road, Lower Gornal, Dudley, DY3 2PR
How it compares in Dudley
A 2 is rare: only 37 of 2,161 rated places in Dudley score this low, about one in 58. By contrast 62% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,343 | 62% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 488 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 248 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 37 | 2% | ← The Red Cow | |
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 502 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 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 The Red Cow 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 The Red Cow, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Box Full of Happiness Other catering premises | 255 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Busy Bees at Dudley Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Before & After School Club Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2019 |
| bengal flame Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Candy Cavern Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2021 |
| Baristro Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| Breakfast and After School Club School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2019 |
| Bushey Fields Hospital Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
Questions about The Red Cow
What is The Red Cow's food hygiene rating?
The Red Cow has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Dudley Council on 5 November 2024.
Is The Red Cow safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub 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 The Red Cow last inspected?
The Red Cow was last inspected on 5 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dudley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Cow?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", 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 The Red Cow compare to other places in Dudley?
62% of the 2,161 rated food businesses in Dudley hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Cow holds a 2. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dudley Council inspects The Red Cow 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 Red Cow 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 Dudley, 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: Dudley
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Red Cow is one of 67 rated food businesses in Lower Gornal. See every hygiene rating in Lower Gornal →
Dudley inspects and rates 2,663 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dudley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.dudley.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 →