38 of the 40 Wirral food businesses rated in October so far got the top score of 5, from New Brighton bars to Heswall takeaways. Two were rated 3. Full list.

Thirty-eight of the 40 Wirral food businesses given a hygiene rating in October so far scored the top mark of 5. The other two were rated 3, which the Food Standards Agency describes as generally satisfactory. Nobody was rated 2 or below.

The figures come from Wirral Council’s entries on the Food Standards Agency register, which we downloaded in full on Sunday 1 November. The latest October inspection published so far is dated 20 October.

October’s count is not final. Ratings reach the register some time after the inspection, so more October visits will appear in the coming weeks. For comparison, the register now holds 91 ratings dated September and 93 dated August.

The quick answer

  • 40 Wirral ratings dated October 2026 are on the register so far.
  • 38 scored 5 (“very good”). 2 scored 3 (“generally satisfactory”).
  • 10 of the 5s went to businesses with a new entry on the register, which usually means a new business or a new operator.
  • Across the whole borough, 1,623 of the 2,217 businesses with a current rating hold a 5. That is 73%.
  • Look up any business on the FSA ratings site.

The two rated 3

Both were inspected on 12 October. The register records:

A 3 is a pass. The FSA describes it as “generally satisfactory”, one step below “good”.

Each rating is built from three scores, where lower is better. For the Golden Dragon, the register scores food handling, the building and confidence in management at 10 each. For the Wirral Tandoori, it scores food handling at 5, with the building and management at 10 each.

Any business can appeal its rating, publish a right to reply on the register, or ask for a re-inspection once it has made improvements. Neither entry carried a right to reply when we checked. We will publish a response from either business if one is sent to us.

Every business rated 5 in October so far

The 38 are listed by area, with the date of each inspection. Each name links to the business’s entry on the register.

Birkenhead, Oxton and Tranmere (9)

Wallasey, New Brighton and Moreton (8)

Bebington, Bromborough and Eastham (13)

West Wirral: Heswall, West Kirby and Hoylake (8)

The ten with a new entry on the register are The Cosy Bunch & Co, Blind Cow Oxton, Mango Fish & Chips, Breakers Sports Bar, Shakes and Cakes, The Ferry, Hoylake PFS, Lee’s Catering Company, The Crusty Cob and Ferry Pizzeria. Two register entries, Simply Sam’s and Oldfield Farm, give only the CH60 postcode district rather than a full address.

How Wirral scores overall

Bar chart of current food hygiene ratings for Wirral businesses: 1,623 rated 5, 360 rated 4, 171 rated 3, 36 rated 2, 24 rated 1 and 3 rated 0.
Chart by Wirral Online. Source: Food Standards Agency ratings register, Wirral Council, downloaded 1 November 2026.
Share this chartFacebookWhatsAppX

The register lists 2,324 Wirral food businesses. Of those, 97 are exempt and 10 are awaiting their first inspection. The other 2,217 hold a current rating:

Rating What the FSA calls it Wirral businesses
5 Very good 1,623
4 Good 360
3 Generally satisfactory 171
2 Improvement necessary 36
1 Major improvement necessary 24
0 Urgent improvement necessary 3

That means 63 businesses in the borough are rated 2 or lower. None of them was rated in October.

What it means for you

  • Check before you order. Every rating, including the date of the inspection, is on the FSA ratings site. Businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland must display theirs; in England, including Wirral, displaying the sticker is voluntary.
  • A new business shows “awaiting inspection” until its first visit. Ten Wirral businesses are in that position now.
  • If you have a concern about a food business, report it to Wirral Council’s food safety team through the FSA’s reporting service.

If you are new to the area, our Wirral restaurants guide and Wirral cafés guide list places to eat across the peninsula.