The Crusty Cob food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · St Helens
The Crusty Cob holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 19 February 2026, 4 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: The Crusty Cob, 265 Crow Lane West, Newton le Willows, WA12 9YY
How it compares in St Helens
A 1 is rare: only 23 of 1,274 rated places in St Helens score this low, about one in 55. By contrast 72% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 911 | 72% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 200 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 105 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ← The Crusty Cob | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 93 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 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 Crusty Cob the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Crusty Cob, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best One Retailers - other | 304 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2026 |
| Evolution Childcare Caring Premises | 346 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 May 2026 |
| Crownway Community Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Cheers Premier Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2026 |
| Elm Tree House Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2026 |
| Earlestown Art Club and Gallery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2024 |
| Blue Tiffin Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2026 |
| Clem Warren Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2025 |
Questions about The Crusty Cob
What is The Crusty Cob's food hygiene rating?
The Crusty Cob has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by St Helens Council on 19 February 2026.
Is The Crusty Cob safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Crusty Cob last inspected?
The Crusty Cob was last inspected on 19 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Helens Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Crusty Cob?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Crusty Cob compare to other places in St Helens?
72% of the 1,274 rated food businesses in St Helens hold the top rating of 5, while The Crusty Cob holds a 1. 23 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
St Helens Council inspects The Crusty Cob 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 Crusty Cob 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 St Helens, 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: St Helens
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Crusty Cob is one of 150 rated food businesses in Newton le Willows. See every hygiene rating in Newton le Willows →
St Helens inspects and rates 1,367 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Helens →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sthelens.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 →