The Red Dragon food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · West Lancashire
The Red Dragon holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 25 March 2025, 15 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: 64-66 Birkrig, Digmoor, Skelmersdale, WN8 9HP
How it compares in West Lancashire
A 1 is rare: only 12 of 833 rated places in West Lancashire score this low, about one in 69. By contrast 80% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 664 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 99 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 55 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ← The Red Dragon | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 99 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Red Dragon 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 The Red Dragon, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Amore Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| Bishop Martin School F'dation Stage School/college/university | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2026 |
| Hope High School School/college/university | 403 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Foodstore Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2023 |
| Go Local Extra Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2023 |
| Hare And Hounds Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Holland Moor Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2026 |
| Hundred Bites Manufacturers/packers | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2024 |
Questions about The Red Dragon
What is The Red Dragon's food hygiene rating?
The Red Dragon has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by West Lancashire Council on 25 March 2025.
Is The Red Dragon safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 The Red Dragon last inspected?
The Red Dragon was last inspected on 25 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Lancashire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Red Dragon?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Red Dragon compare to other places in West Lancashire?
80% of the 833 rated food businesses in West Lancashire hold the top rating of 5, while The Red Dragon holds a 1. 12 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Lancashire Council inspects The Red Dragon 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 Red Dragon 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 West Lancashire, 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: West Lancashire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Red Dragon is one of 176 rated food businesses in Skelmersdale. See every hygiene rating in Skelmersdale →
West Lancashire inspects and rates 932 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Lancashire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westlancs.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 →