Blue Ball food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sheffield
Blue Ball holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 2 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: 281 Main Road, Wharncliffe Side, S35 0DQ
How it compares in Sheffield
In Sheffield, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so Blue Ball sits behind roughly 3,299 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,299 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 688 | 16% | ← Blue Ball | |
| 3 out of 5 | 316 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 68 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 54 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 451 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 Very good
- 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 Blue Ball 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 Blue Ball, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightholmlee Community Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 71 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Taylor Shaw School/college/university | 160 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Joro Oughtibridge Mill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
Questions about Blue Ball
What is Blue Ball's food hygiene rating?
Blue Ball has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Sheffield Council on 2 May 2026.
Is Blue Ball 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Blue Ball last inspected?
Blue Ball was last inspected on 2 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sheffield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Blue Ball?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Blue Ball compare to other places in Sheffield?
75% of the 4,426 rated food businesses in Sheffield hold the top rating of 5, while Blue Ball holds a 4. 688 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sheffield Council inspects 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 Blue Ball and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sheffield inspects and rates 4,877 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sheffield →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.sheffield.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 →