Bolton Off Licence Ltd food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Bolton
Bolton Off Licence Ltd holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 20 February 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: 248 St Helens Road, Bolton, BL3 3PZ
How it compares in Bolton
A 1 is rare: only 103 of 2,200 rated places in Bolton score this low, about one in 21. By contrast 55% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,220 | 55% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 476 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 315 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 76 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 103 | 5% | ← Bolton Off Licence Ltd | |
| 0 out of 5 | 10 | <1% |
A further 186 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Major 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 Bolton Off Licence Ltd the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Bolton Off Licence Ltd, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 132 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| Cafe Chico Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 326 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Armstrongs Bakers Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2025 |
| Brandwood C P School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Barakat Grill Steak House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2019 |
| BH Residential Care Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Ami’s Off Licence Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2025 |
| Bolton Muslim Girls' School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
Questions about Bolton Off Licence Ltd
What is Bolton Off Licence Ltd's food hygiene rating?
Bolton Off Licence Ltd has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Bolton Council on 20 February 2025.
Is Bolton Off Licence Ltd safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 Bolton Off Licence Ltd last inspected?
Bolton Off Licence Ltd was last inspected on 20 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bolton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bolton Off Licence Ltd?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bolton Off Licence Ltd compare to other places in Bolton?
55% of the 2,200 rated food businesses in Bolton hold the top rating of 5, while Bolton Off Licence Ltd holds a 1. 103 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bolton Council inspects Bolton Off Licence Ltd 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 Bolton Off Licence Ltd 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 1 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 Bolton, 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: Bolton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bolton inspects and rates 2,386 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bolton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bolton.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 →