Gardeners Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Rochdale
Gardeners Arms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 8 May 2025, 14 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: 644 Manchester Old Road, Middleton, M24 4PW
How it compares in Rochdale
That puts Gardeners Arms among the 1,090 places in Rochdale holding top marks, 73% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,090 | 73% | ← Gardeners Arms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 216 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 79 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 54 | 4% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 402 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Gardeners Arms 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 Gardeners Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowness Foodstore and off licence Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2022 |
| Argos Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2018 |
| Bonnie's Cafe Munchies Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2026 |
| Aldi Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 July 2023 |
| A & C Booth Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Aryans Convenience Store Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2023 |
| Bridie's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2025 |
| Bowlee Community Primary School School/college/university | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2026 |
Questions about Gardeners Arms
What is Gardeners Arms's food hygiene rating?
Gardeners Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Rochdale Council on 8 May 2025.
Is Gardeners Arms safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Gardeners Arms last inspected?
Gardeners Arms was last inspected on 8 May 2025, 14 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Rochdale Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Gardeners Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Gardeners Arms compare to other places in Rochdale?
73% of the 1,494 rated food businesses in Rochdale hold the top rating of 5, and Gardeners Arms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Rochdale Council inspects Gardeners Arms 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 Gardeners Arms 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
Gardeners Arms is one of 284 rated food businesses in Middleton. See every hygiene rating in Middleton →
Rochdale inspects and rates 1,896 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Rochdale →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rochdale.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 →