Balls Brothers Austin Friars food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · City of London Corporation
Balls Brothers Austin Friars holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the pub that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 3 March 2025, 16 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: 10-11 Austin Friars, London, EC2N 2HG
How it compares in City of London Corporation
A 2 is rare: only 30 of 1,682 rated places in City of London Corporation score this low, about one in 56. By contrast 88% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,474 | 88% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 127 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 35 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ← Balls Brothers Austin Friars | |
| 1 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 116 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety 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 Balls Brothers Austin Friars the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Balls Brothers Austin Friars, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abokado Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2026 |
| 10th Floor Coffee Bar - CFC Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 254 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| 8 Bishopsgate By Rhubarb Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 254 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2026 |
| 14 Stories Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| 3 Leaf Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2026 |
| 88 Beans Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2025 |
| 1947 Restaurant, Bar & Pizza Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2025 |
| A&O Shearman LLP Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2025 |
Questions about Balls Brothers Austin Friars
What is Balls Brothers Austin Friars's food hygiene rating?
Balls Brothers Austin Friars has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by City of London Corporation Council on 3 March 2025.
Is Balls Brothers Austin Friars safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Balls Brothers Austin Friars last inspected?
Balls Brothers Austin Friars was last inspected on 3 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by City of London Corporation Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Balls Brothers Austin Friars?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Balls Brothers Austin Friars compare to other places in City of London Corporation?
88% of the 1,682 rated food businesses in City of London Corporation hold the top rating of 5, while Balls Brothers Austin Friars holds a 2. 30 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
City of London Corporation Council inspects Balls Brothers Austin Friars 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 Balls Brothers Austin Friars 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 2 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 City of London Corporation, 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: City of London Corporation
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
City of London Corporation inspects and rates 1,798 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in City of London Corporation →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/homepage.htm
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 →