Birchwood Spice food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Warrington
Birchwood Spice 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
This rating dates from 2 December 2025, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: 40 Gorse Covert Road, WA3 6UG
How it compares in Warrington
A 1 is rare: only 32 of 1,533 rated places in Warrington score this low, about one in 48. By contrast 77% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,178 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 177 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 121 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 24 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 32 | 2% | ← Birchwood Spice | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 155 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- 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 Birchwood Spice the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and 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 Birchwood Spice, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Stop Retailers - other | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2022 |
| Gorse Covert Primary School School/college/university | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 July 2024 |
| Busy Nought to Fives Ltd Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Birchwood CE Primary School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2023 |
| Engine Rooms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Henrys Hot Dogs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2025 |
| ISS facility Services Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2023 |
Questions about Birchwood Spice
What is Birchwood Spice's food hygiene rating?
Birchwood Spice has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Warrington Council on 2 December 2025.
Is Birchwood Spice 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 Birchwood Spice last inspected?
Birchwood Spice was last inspected on 2 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Warrington Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Birchwood Spice?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Birchwood Spice compare to other places in Warrington?
77% of the 1,533 rated food businesses in Warrington hold the top rating of 5, while Birchwood Spice holds a 1. 32 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Warrington Council inspects Birchwood Spice 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 Birchwood Spice 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 Warrington, 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: Warrington
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Warrington inspects and rates 1,688 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Warrington →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.warrington.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 →