The Athenaeum food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Liverpool
The Athenaeum holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The pub met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 4 February 2026, 5 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: 12 - 18 Church Alley, Liverpool, L1 3DD
How it compares in Liverpool
In Liverpool, 67% of rated places manage a 5, so The Athenaeum sits behind roughly 2,803 nearby businesses. 10% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,273 | 67% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 530 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 331 | 10% | ← The Athenaeum | |
| 2 out of 5 | 123 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 88 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 38 | 1% |
A further 1,143 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 The Athenaeum 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 The Athenaeum, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral Casino Other catering premises | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2025 |
| Bacino Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 166 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 February 2024 |
| Antonietta Gelato & Cioccolato Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 188 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2024 |
| Auntie Annes Takeaway/sandwich shop | 190 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2019 |
| Arket Takeaway/sandwich shop | 196 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2019 |
| Albert’s Schloss Pub/bar/nightclub | 197 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 August 2023 |
| Admiral Casino Other catering premises | 204 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2019 |
| Barburrito Takeaway/sandwich shop | 207 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2021 |
Questions about The Athenaeum
What is The Athenaeum's food hygiene rating?
The Athenaeum has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Liverpool Council on 4 February 2026.
Is The Athenaeum safe to eat at?
A 3 means the pub met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Athenaeum last inspected?
The Athenaeum was last inspected on 4 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Liverpool Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Athenaeum?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Athenaeum compare to other places in Liverpool?
67% of the 3,383 rated food businesses in Liverpool hold the top rating of 5, while The Athenaeum holds a 3. 331 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Liverpool Council inspects The Athenaeum 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 Athenaeum 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Liverpool inspects and rates 4,526 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Liverpool →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.liverpool.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 →