The Forbidden City food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Newcastle-Under-Lyme
The Forbidden City holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Forbidden City was inspected on 22 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Newcastle-Under-Lyme score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Newcastle-Under-Lyme ratings →
Address: 24 Market Street, Kidsgrove, ST7 4AB
How this rating has changed
The Forbidden City has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 22 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 2026 | 5 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Newcastle-Under-Lyme
A 1 is rare: only 22 of 906 rated places in Newcastle-Under-Lyme score this low, about one in 41. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 777 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 71 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 31 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ← The Forbidden City | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 81 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Forbidden City the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and confidence in management. 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 The Forbidden City, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDI Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 78 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2025 |
| Dallas Chicken & Pizza/KCS Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 158 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Caffe Latte Kidsgrove Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 243 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2024 |
| Birchwood Day Nursery Caring Premises | 307 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Hamiltons Bake Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 336 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 October 2024 |
| Bluebell School @ the Galley Centre School/college/university | 352 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| Crown and Thistle Pub/bar/nightclub | 439 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Dove Bank Primary School - Edwards & Ward Ltd School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
Questions about The Forbidden City
What is The Forbidden City's food hygiene rating?
The Forbidden City has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council on 22 July 2026.
Is The Forbidden City safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 The Forbidden City last inspected?
The Forbidden City was last inspected on 22 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Forbidden City?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Forbidden City compare to other places in Newcastle-Under-Lyme?
86% of the 906 rated food businesses in Newcastle-Under-Lyme hold the top rating of 5, while The Forbidden City holds a 1. 22 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newcastle-Under-Lyme Council inspects The Forbidden City 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 Forbidden City 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 1 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 Newcastle-Under-Lyme, 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: Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Forbidden City is one of 107 rated food businesses in Kidsgrove. See every hygiene rating in Kidsgrove →
Newcastle-Under-Lyme inspects and rates 987 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newcastle-Under-Lyme →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newcastle-staffs.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 →