A Sefton town Tops National Food Hygiene Rankings – A Shining Example for our borough
- Sefton Bubble
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
A Sefton town Tops the National Food Hygiene Rankings – Making it a Shining Example for borough.
Southport has officially been named the number one town in the UK for food hygiene standards – making Sefton the leading area in the North West for clean and safe food premises.
In a major new report marking 15 years of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, Southport has come out on top both regionally and nationally, with an outstanding average score of 4.95 across 384 inspected premises.
The report, compiled by High Speed Training, analysed data from over 240,000 food businesses across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – and shows Southport maintaining its impressive streak, having also ranked first in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
This places Southport firmly at the forefront of food hygiene excellence, making it a standout destination in Sefton and beyond for anyone looking to eat out with confidence.
Regional Highlights from the North West Report:
Southport ranked 1st out of 17 towns and cities in the North West – and 1st nationwide.
Wigan showed the biggest improvement in the region, with its average score rising by 0.17 to 4.09.
Bolton ranked lowest in the North West, with an average rating of just 4.08.
Overall, the North West’s average food hygiene rating improved to 4.48 in 2025 (up from 4.46 in 2024).
Across the North West, 86.2% of all food premises scored a 4 or 5 – showing strong standards overall.
88.3% of restaurants, cafes and canteens achieved 4 or 5 ratings.
However, 24.5% of takeaways received a score of 0–3, highlighting the importance of checking hygiene ratings before ordering.
Why This Matters for Sefton?
The results highlight not only Southport’s consistent commitment to maintaining safe, clean, and professional food standards – but also reflect the dedication of local food businesses, Sefton’s Environmental Health teams, and the community’s support for high standards.
With food hygiene ratings directly linked to the quality of food handling, safety procedures, and cleanliness of premises, these scores offer vital insight for customers making decisions about where to eat or shop.
What the Experts Say
Dr Richard Anderson from High Speed Training said: “For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. Southport’s consistent top ranking demonstrates just how committed the town is to food safety – and it’s something the local community should be proud of.”
Know Before You Dine
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme was launched in 2010 and is supported by local authorities and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). In England, displaying the hygiene rating on-site is voluntary, but it’s widely encouraged – and always available to check online.
Before visiting or ordering from a food business, you can view their latest hygiene rating at:
Well done, #Southport – proudly putting Sefton on the map for food excellence once again!
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