The Lock keeper food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cheshire West and Chester
The Lock keeper holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the pub and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 9 July 2025, 12 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 Lock Keeper Frodsham Street, Chester, CH1 3LH
How it compares in Cheshire West and Chester
A 1 is rare: only 37 of 2,664 rated places in Cheshire West and Chester score this low, about one in 72. 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 | 2,139 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 308 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 145 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 37 | 1% | ← The Lock keeper | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 309 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 Good
- 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 Lock keeper 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 Lock keeper, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe L'ALba Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2024 |
| Bean and Cole Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 March 2026 |
| Admiral Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 113 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2024 |
| Bowling Green Court Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 243 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2024 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 279 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2024 |
| Abbey School for Exceptional Children School/college/university | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Bollicini Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 336 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
Questions about The Lock keeper
What is The Lock keeper's food hygiene rating?
The Lock keeper has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cheshire West and Chester Council on 9 July 2025.
Is The Lock keeper safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The pub 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 Lock keeper last inspected?
The Lock keeper was last inspected on 9 July 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cheshire West and Chester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lock keeper?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Lock keeper compare to other places in Cheshire West and Chester?
80% of the 2,664 rated food businesses in Cheshire West and Chester hold the top rating of 5, while The Lock keeper holds a 1. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cheshire West and Chester Council inspects The Lock keeper 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 Lock keeper 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 Cheshire West and Chester, 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: Cheshire West and Chester
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Lock keeper is one of 1,134 rated food businesses in Chester. See every hygiene rating in Chester →
Cheshire West and Chester inspects and rates 2,973 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cheshire West and Chester →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cheshirewestandchester.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 →