R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Walsall
R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 8 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: 46 High Street, Brownhills, Walsall, WS8 6EL
How it compares in Walsall
In Walsall, 59% of rated places manage a 5, so R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent sits behind roughly 1,054 nearby businesses. 20% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,054 | 59% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 351 | 20% | ← R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent | |
| 3 out of 5 | 266 | 15% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 52 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 57 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 7 | <1% |
A further 397 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent 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 R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greggs Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 January 2017 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 104 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2017 |
| Dominos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 144 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2025 |
| A E Poxons (approved premises) Distributors/Transporters | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 September 2025 |
| Farmfoods Ltd Retailers - other | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2025 |
| B & M Bargains Retailers - other | 211 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2011 |
| Costcutter Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2018 |
Questions about R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent
What is R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent's food hygiene rating?
R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Walsall Council on 8 May 2026.
Is R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent last inspected?
R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent was last inspected on 8 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Walsall Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent compare to other places in Walsall?
59% of the 1,787 rated food businesses in Walsall hold the top rating of 5, while R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent holds a 4. 351 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Walsall Council inspects R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent 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 R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
R. Downes Brownhills Newsagent is one of 103 rated food businesses in Brownhills. See every hygiene rating in Brownhills →
Walsall inspects and rates 2,184 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Walsall →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/environment/food_production_and_quality.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 →