4

The Stocks food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · St Helens

The Stocks 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 20 September 2023, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 4-8 High Street, Newton le Willows, WA12 9SN

How it compares in St Helens

In St Helens, 72% of rated places manage a 5, so The Stocks sits behind roughly 911 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.

Every rated food business in St Helens
5 out of 5 911 72%
4 out of 5 200 16% ← The Stocks
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

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 Stocks 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 Stocks, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Fika Coffee and Home (catering premises) Retailers - other 202 yards away 5 - Very good 22 September 2025
Fishician Takeaway/sandwich shop 263 yards away 5 - Very good 18 April 2026
Drinkworthy Ltd Retailers - other 280 yards away 5 - Very good 23 August 2025
Goya Bistro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 319 yards away 5 - Very good 6 March 2024
Amans Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 319 yards away 5 - Very good 21 March 2026
Bargain Booze Retailers - other 336 yards away 5 - Very good 16 December 2024
Esso Shop and Drive Retailers - other 339 yards away 5 - Very good 17 November 2023
Fika Coffee and Home Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 351 yards away 5 - Very good 9 September 2025

Questions about The Stocks

What is The Stocks's food hygiene rating?

The Stocks has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by St Helens Council on 20 September 2023.

Is The Stocks 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 Stocks last inspected?

The Stocks was last inspected on 20 September 2023, more than 2 years 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 Stocks?

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 Stocks 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 Stocks holds a 4. 200 places in the area share that rating.

Who decides the rating?

St Helens Council inspects The Stocks 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 Stocks 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Stocks 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 →