Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Reigate and Banstead
Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 14 May 2026, 2 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: Blue Ball Public House, Deans Lane, Walton on the Hill, KT20 7UE
How it compares in Reigate and Banstead
A 1 is rare: only 17 of 912 rated places in Reigate and Banstead score this low, about one in 54. By contrast 73% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 662 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 136 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 73 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ← Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 182 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 Improvement necessary
- 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 Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball 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 Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti Tree Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 December 2025 |
| Lord Riddell Memorial Hall Other catering premises | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2018 |
| Petit Chou Pizza Other catering premises | 198 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| Co Op Food Retailers - other | 285 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2025 |
| The Little School On The Green Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2021 |
| Chartwells At Chinthurst School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2025 |
| BUPA Tadworth Grove Nursing And Retirement Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2026 |
| Thai Cottage Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
Questions about Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball
What is Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball's food hygiene rating?
Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Reigate and Banstead Council on 14 May 2026.
Is Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball last inspected?
Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball was last inspected on 14 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reigate and Banstead Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball compare to other places in Reigate and Banstead?
73% of the 912 rated food businesses in Reigate and Banstead hold the top rating of 5, while Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball holds a 1. 17 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reigate and Banstead Council inspects Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball 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 Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball 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 Reigate and Banstead, 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: Reigate and Banstead
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Firehouse Tadworth @ The Blue Ball is one of 23 rated food businesses in Walton on the Hill. See every hygiene rating in Walton on the Hill →
Reigate and Banstead inspects and rates 1,094 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reigate and Banstead →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reigate-banstead.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 →