Straw Bale Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Wigan
Straw Bale Cafe holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant 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 30 July 2025, 11 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: Greenslate Road, Billinge, Wigan, WN5 7BG
How it compares in Wigan
In Wigan, 54% of rated places manage a 5, so Straw Bale Cafe sits behind roughly 1,256 nearby businesses. 23% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,256 | 54% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 527 | 23% | ← Straw Bale Cafe | |
| 3 out of 5 | 369 | 16% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 108 | 5% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 64 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 232 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 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 Straw Bale Cafe 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 Straw Bale Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| England & Sons Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Asda Express PFS Billinge Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2024 |
| Ella UK LTD Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2024 |
| Bispham Hall Recreation Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2019 |
| Gaskells Fish and Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 September 2025 |
| Bag & Bean Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Delph Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
Questions about Straw Bale Cafe
What is Straw Bale Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Straw Bale Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Wigan Council on 30 July 2025.
Is Straw Bale Cafe 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Straw Bale Cafe last inspected?
Straw Bale Cafe was last inspected on 30 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Wigan Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Straw Bale Cafe?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Straw Bale Cafe compare to other places in Wigan?
54% of the 2,329 rated food businesses in Wigan hold the top rating of 5, while Straw Bale Cafe holds a 4. 527 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Wigan Council inspects Straw Bale Cafe 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 Straw Bale Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Straw Bale Cafe is one of 21 rated food businesses in Billinge. See every hygiene rating in Billinge →
Wigan inspects and rates 2,561 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Wigan →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.wigan.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 →