The Railway Inn food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Helens
The Railway Inn holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 30 August 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: Railway Hotel, 4 Station Road, Ashton in Makerfield, WN4 0SA
How it compares in St Helens
That puts The Railway Inn among the 911 places in St Helens holding top marks, 72% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 911 | 72% | ← The Railway Inn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 200 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 105 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 93 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 Railway Inn 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 Railway Inn, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Local Extra Retailers - other | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Garswood Conservative Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 91 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2023 |
| Garswood Primary School School/college/university | 237 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Garswood Service Station Retailers - other | 274 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Clare Chapman Catering Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
| Bluebell Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2025 |
| Ashton Athletic F C Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| Baxter Storey @ Amazon MAN8 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 May 2026 |
Questions about The Railway Inn
What is The Railway Inn's food hygiene rating?
The Railway Inn has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Helens Council on 30 August 2023.
Is The Railway Inn safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Railway Inn last inspected?
The Railway Inn was last inspected on 30 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Helens Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Railway Inn?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Railway Inn compare to other places in St Helens?
72% of the 1,274 rated food businesses in St Helens hold the top rating of 5, and The Railway Inn is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Helens Council inspects The Railway Inn 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 Railway Inn 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 Railway Inn is one of 20 rated food businesses in Ashton in Makerfield. See every hygiene rating in Ashton in Makerfield →
St Helens inspects and rates 1,367 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Helens →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sthelens.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 →