Willows Wines & Convenience store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Bolton
Willows Wines & Convenience store holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 March 2024, more than 2 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: 283 Willows Lane, Bolton, BL3 4HH
How it compares in Bolton
A 2 is rare: only 76 of 2,200 rated places in Bolton score this low, about one in 29. By contrast 55% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,220 | 55% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 476 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 315 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 76 | 3% | ← Willows Wines & Convenience store | |
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Wines & Convenience store the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Willows Wines & Convenience store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandwood C P School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2024 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| Bakewells Private Rest Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2026 |
| Cafe Chico Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Amez Mini Market Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| A la Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2025 |
| Barakat Grill Steak House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2019 |
| Al-Huda Academy School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
Questions about Willows Wines & Convenience store
What is Willows Wines & Convenience store's food hygiene rating?
Willows Wines & Convenience store has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Bolton Council on 13 March 2024.
Is Willows Wines & Convenience store safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 Willows Wines & Convenience store last inspected?
Willows Wines & Convenience store was last inspected on 13 March 2024, more than 2 years 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 Wines & Convenience store?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", 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 Wines & Convenience store compare to other places in Bolton?
55% of the 2,200 rated food businesses in Bolton hold the top rating of 5, while Willows Wines & Convenience store holds a 2. 76 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Bolton Council inspects Willows Wines & Convenience store 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 Wines & Convenience store 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 2 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 Bolton, 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: Bolton
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 →