The Victoria food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Cheshire West and Chester
The Victoria 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 is a fresh result: The Victoria was inspected on 4 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 2 Watergate Row North Watergate Street, Chester, CH1 2LD
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 Victoria | |
| 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 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 The Victoria 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 The Victoria, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| BO and Bean Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2024 |
| Brewski Chester Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 84 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2026 |
| Boot Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 March 2020 |
| 200 Degrees Coffee Shop Chester Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 110 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
| Bella Italia Chester/Super Nonna Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 129 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| Be at One Chester Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 133 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2025 |
| Beer Heroes Pub/bar/nightclub | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Bishop Lloyd's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 135 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
Questions about The Victoria
What is The Victoria's food hygiene rating?
The Victoria has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cheshire West and Chester Council on 4 June 2026.
Is The Victoria 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 Victoria last inspected?
The Victoria was last inspected on 4 June 2026, a month 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 Victoria?
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 The Victoria 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 Victoria holds a 1. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cheshire West and Chester Council inspects The Victoria 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 Victoria 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 Victoria 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 →