Willows News food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Bolton
Willows News holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 27 March 2025, 15 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: 213 Willows Lane, Bolton, BL3 4AZ
How it compares in Bolton
In Bolton, 55% of rated places manage a 5, so Willows News sits behind roughly 1,696 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,220 | 55% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 476 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 315 | 14% | ← Willows News | |
| 2 out of 5 | 76 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 103 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 10 | <1% |
A further 186 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Willows News 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 Willows News, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandwood C P School School/college/university | 162 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Barakat Grill Steak House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 429 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2019 |
| Cafe Chico Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Amez Mini Market Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| A la Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2025 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| BH Residential Care Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Al-Huda Academy School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
Questions about Willows News
What is Willows News's food hygiene rating?
Willows News has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Bolton Council on 27 March 2025.
Is Willows News safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Willows News last inspected?
Willows News was last inspected on 27 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bolton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Willows News?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Willows News compare to other places in Bolton?
55% of the 2,200 rated food businesses in Bolton hold the top rating of 5, while Willows News holds a 3. 315 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bolton Council inspects Willows News 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 Willows News 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
Bolton inspects and rates 2,386 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bolton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bolton.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 →