Tongs food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Bolton
Tongs holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the takeaway requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Tongs was inspected on 18 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 9% of rated food businesses in Bolton score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Bolton ratings →
Address: 139 Chorley Old Road, Bolton, BL1 3BD
How this rating has changed
Tongs was re-inspected on 18 July 2026 and held its rating of 0.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2026 | AwaitingInspection 0 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Bolton
A 0 is rare: only 17 of 2,216 rated places in Bolton score this low, about one in 130. By contrast 57% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,255 | 57% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 459 | 21% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 311 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 103 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ← Tongs |
A further 203 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Urgent 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 Tongs the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises 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 Tongs, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolton Rugby Union F.C. Pub/bar/nightclub | 247 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 May 2025 |
| Bank Mart Retailers - other | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 October 2025 |
| Bridges Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Bolton Hospice Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2026 |
| Bolton Children's Opportunity Group Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2026 |
| Bolton School Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2026 |
| Brownlow Fold Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Bunbury's Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2025 |
Questions about Tongs
What is Tongs's food hygiene rating?
Tongs has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Bolton Council on 18 July 2026.
Is Tongs safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The takeaway may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Tongs last inspected?
Tongs was last inspected on 18 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bolton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Tongs?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "urgent improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Tongs compare to other places in Bolton?
57% of the 2,216 rated food businesses in Bolton hold the top rating of 5, while Tongs holds a 0. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bolton Council inspects Tongs 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 Tongs 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 0 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 Bolton, 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: Bolton
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bolton inspects and rates 2,419 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bolton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bolton.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 →