The Busy Bee food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · West Lancashire
The Busy Bee 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 22 December 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: 2 Tilcroft, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 8PQ
How it compares in West Lancashire
In West Lancashire, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so The Busy Bee sits behind roughly 664 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 664 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 99 | 12% | ← The Busy Bee | |
| 3 out of 5 | 55 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 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 Very 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 The Busy Bee 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 Busy Bee, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon View Nursing Home Caring Premises | 315 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2025 |
| Elm House Care Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Little Achievers Nursery In The Park Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2025 |
| Jollie Tym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2025 |
| Co-Operative Group Food Limited Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2026 |
| Fortuna Chinese Take Away Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Derby Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 June 2023 |
| Mike's Fish and Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2026 |
Questions about The Busy Bee
What is The Busy Bee's food hygiene rating?
The Busy Bee has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by West Lancashire Council on 22 December 2023.
Is The Busy Bee 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 Busy Bee last inspected?
The Busy Bee was last inspected on 22 December 2023, more than 2 years 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 Busy Bee?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 The Busy Bee 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 Busy Bee holds a 4. 99 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Lancashire Council inspects The Busy Bee 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 Busy Bee and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Busy Bee 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 →