The Willows food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · Sandwell
The Willows holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 30 October 2019, more than 6 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: The Willows 170 Newton Road, Great Barr, B43 6BU
How it compares in Sandwell
That puts The Willows among the 1,561 places in Sandwell holding top marks, 66% 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 | 1,561 | 66% | ← The Willows | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 513 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 168 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 41 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 56 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | <1% |
A further 326 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 Very 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 The Willows 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 Willows, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Stores Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2017 |
| Apple & Apple off Licence Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2020 |
| Burger Boi Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2025 |
| Al-Miski Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 April 2023 |
| Cake Shop and Sunita's Sweet Centre Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| 5 Star Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2024 |
| Cakeable Moments Other catering premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 March 2010 |
Questions about The Willows
What is The Willows's food hygiene rating?
The Willows has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sandwell Council on 30 October 2019.
Is The Willows 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 care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Willows last inspected?
The Willows was last inspected on 30 October 2019, more than 6 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sandwell Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Willows?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 The Willows compare to other places in Sandwell?
66% of the 2,350 rated food businesses in Sandwell hold the top rating of 5, and The Willows is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sandwell Council inspects The Willows 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 Willows 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
The Willows is one of 67 rated food businesses in Great Barr. See every hygiene rating in Great Barr →
Sandwell inspects and rates 2,676 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sandwell →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/foodratings
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 →