Malt Shovel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Dudley
Malt Shovel holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 29 April 2026, 2 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: The Malt Shovel, 46 Tower Street, Dudley, DY1 1NB
How it compares in Dudley
In Dudley, 62% of rated places manage a 5, so Malt Shovel sits behind roughly 1,829 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,343 | 62% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 486 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 249 | 12% | ← Malt Shovel | |
| 2 out of 5 | 37 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 503 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 Malt Shovel 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 Malt Shovel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedazzle Caring Premises | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2025 |
| Bobby's Burger and Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 July 2023 |
| Bowls and Buns Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 August 2025 |
| Cadrene Supported Living Distributors/Transporters | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2025 |
| Arcade Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 234 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 July 2019 |
| Best Before Retailers - other | 238 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2024 |
| Boots The Chemist PLC Retailers - other | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2013 |
| B & M Retail Retailers - other | 402 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 June 2013 |
Questions about Malt Shovel
What is Malt Shovel's food hygiene rating?
Malt Shovel has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Dudley Council on 29 April 2026.
Is Malt Shovel safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Malt Shovel last inspected?
Malt Shovel was last inspected on 29 April 2026, 2 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 Malt Shovel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Malt Shovel compare to other places in Dudley?
62% of the 2,160 rated food businesses in Dudley hold the top rating of 5, while Malt Shovel holds a 3. 249 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dudley Council inspects Malt Shovel 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 Malt Shovel 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
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 →