The Ark food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Cheshire West and Chester
The Ark holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the school kitchen 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 12 March 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: Whitegate Church Of England Primary School Whitegate Road, Winsford, CW8 2AY
How it compares in Cheshire West and Chester
In Cheshire West and Chester, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Ark sits behind roughly 2,139 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,139 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 308 | 12% | ← The Ark | |
| 3 out of 5 | 145 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 37 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 309 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 Very good
- 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 Ark 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 Ark, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact Food Group Trading as Hutchison Catering Ltd @ Whitegate CE Primary School School/college/university | at this address | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2025 |
| JJ's Early Explorers Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2023 |
| Knights Grange Pub Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2021 |
| Blue Cap Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| Impact Food Group trading as Dolce @ Moulton Primary School Other catering premises | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2026 |
| Dynasty Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| Hartford Primary School School/college/university | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Kids Count Day Nursery Caring Premises | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2025 |
Questions about The Ark
What is The Ark's food hygiene rating?
The Ark has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Cheshire West and Chester Council on 12 March 2025.
Is The Ark 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 school kitchen to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Ark last inspected?
The Ark was last inspected on 12 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cheshire West and Chester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Ark?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", 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 Ark compare to other places in Cheshire West and Chester?
80% of the 2,664 rated food businesses in Cheshire West and Chester hold the top rating of 5, while The Ark holds a 4. 308 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cheshire West and Chester Council inspects The Ark 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 Ark 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 Ark is one of 187 rated food businesses in Winsford. See every hygiene rating in Winsford →
Cheshire West and Chester inspects and rates 2,973 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cheshire West and Chester →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cheshirewestandchester.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 →