4

The Malt Shovel food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Sandwell

The Malt Shovel 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 10 October 2013, more than 12 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: Malt Shovel 61 High Street, Rowley Regis, B65 0EH

How it compares in Sandwell

In Sandwell, 66% of rated places manage a 5, so The Malt Shovel sits behind roughly 1,561 nearby businesses. 22% of the borough shares its 4.

Every rated food business in Sandwell
5 out of 5 1,561 66%
4 out of 5 513 22% ← The Malt Shovel
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

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 Malt Shovel 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 Malt Shovel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Blackheath Liberal Club Pub/bar/nightclub 164 yards away 5 - Very good 17 March 2024
Bookworms Day Care Caring Premises 218 yards away 5 - Very good 16 October 2025
Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other 235 yards away 5 - Very good 14 July 2021
Artisan Expresso Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 388 yards away 5 - Very good 10 July 2025
Admiral Amusements Other catering premises 429 yards away 5 - Very good 2 July 2021
Bake My Day Other catering premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 15 May 2026
Blackheath Fruit and Vegetables Retailers - other 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 25 June 2018
Bobbo's Todays Catch Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 9 June 2026

Questions about The Malt Shovel

What is The Malt Shovel's food hygiene rating?

The Malt Shovel has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Sandwell Council on 10 October 2013.

Is The Malt Shovel 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 The Malt Shovel last inspected?

The Malt Shovel was last inspected on 10 October 2013, more than 12 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 Malt Shovel?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Malt Shovel compare to other places in Sandwell?

66% of the 2,350 rated food businesses in Sandwell hold the top rating of 5, while The Malt Shovel holds a 4. 513 places in the area share that rating.

Who decides the rating?

Sandwell Council inspects The Malt Shovel 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 Malt Shovel and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

The Malt Shovel is one of 163 rated food businesses in Rowley Regis. See every hygiene rating in Rowley Regis

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 →