Love Lane Brewery Gets Zero Hygiene Rating After Inspection
A zero-star food hygiene rating is the lowest score the scheme gives. Love Lane Brewery in the Baltic Triangle now has one, and the company has responded publicly to explain it.
Two businesses under one roof
The company's account starts with how the building works. Operations director Rod Grainger told the Echo that it holds two separate operations: the brewery on one side, the kitchen and taproom on the other.
The published rating changed after a Liverpool City Council environmental health inspection in September. Grainger said the concerns raised were mainly about brewing, and that part of the business was shut temporarily while they were dealt with.
The council did not ask the kitchen and taproom to close, he said. They kept trading. He added that experienced leadership in the venue teams keeps standards up for customers.
What the score covers
Inspectors visited on Monday, 7 September. A hygiene rating is built from three areas: the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building, how food safety is managed, and how food is handled. In each of them the venue was told that "urgent improvement" was needed.
Around this time last year the venue was one of the few places in Merseyside to appear in the Good Beer Guide.
Two administrations and a new owner
The brewery has not had an easy run. It first went into administration in June 2022, owing more than £1.5m to creditors. Former Iceland boss Nick Canning then put in a further £300,000 to save the brand.
The fresh start was short. About 18 months later the Bridgewater Street venue failed a second time. A spokesperson for the company then said the challenges had been too great to overcome. In early 2024, Home Bargains owner TJ Morris bought it through TJ Morris Brewing.
Grainger spoke about that period last year. He said the business had been bust twice, but the new team was not dwelling on it. In his words, backing from TJ Morris and Home Bargains gives the company the ability to "ride against the tide".
Our view
The statement separates the brewery from the taproom, but it does not say what exactly the concerns were or when the brewery reopened. Those answers, and any new inspection, would show whether the zero rating is a short-lived blemish. Until a fresh visit is recorded, the published score is what customers will see.
Source: Liverpool Echo