Liverpool ONE restaurant gets new hygiene rating after probe 2026

Key Points

• Botanist Restaurant located in Liverpool ONE had a zero rating in terms of its food hygiene status in January 2026 after pest activities were reported.
• Botanist restaurant was temporarily shut down between January 16 and January 26, 2026 to make improvements.
• It was noted that there are areas for urgent improvements in three main categories: hygienic handling of food, cleanliness and conditions of the premises, and food safety management.
• The Liverpool City Council stated that investigations into this matter are still taking place which means the whole report cannot be made public under Freedom of Information Act.
• As of August 2026, The Botanist stated that it has achieved four-star food hygiene rating after an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) visit.
• The spokesperson stated that the team is highly committed to food hygiene and safety.
• Botanist Restaurant located in Albert Dock, Liverpool has achieved a five-star food hygiene rating following an inspection on Sunday, January 22, 2026.
• Liverpool ONE did not provide any comment when contacted by Liverpool ECHO.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) August 22, 2026 – A Liverpool ONE restaurant has issued an update after being given a zero food hygiene rating earlier this year following reports of pest activity, with the operator now confirming a four-star rating after remedial work and a follow-up inspection.

The Botanist, located at the top of the city centre shopping complex on Kenyon’s Steps, was rated zero by the Food Standards Agency in January, with inspectors saying the venue needed urgent improvement across three assessment areas. The operator voluntarily closed the site upon receiving information about alleged pest activity, reopening several days later after corrective measures were implemented.

Following a recent visit by environmental health officers, the restaurant has now been awarded a four-star food hygiene rating, according to a statement provided to the Liverpool ECHO. A spokesperson for The Botanist said the team takes food hygiene and safety seriously and is committed to maintaining high standards across the restaurant.

What happened at The Botanist in January 2026?

As reported by the Liverpool ECHO, on Friday, January 16, 2026, The Botanist at Liverpool ONE was given the lowest possible food hygiene rating, indicating that urgent improvement was necessary. The assessment highlighted concerns in three categories: hygienic food handling practices, the cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building, and the management of food safety systems.

At the time, the Liverpool ECHO contacted the company, which said that upon receiving information about alleged pest activity in the restaurant, it decided to close the Kenyon’s Steps site. The venue remained shut until Monday, January 26, 2026, before reopening to customers.

The Liverpool ECHO also approached Liverpool ONE for comment during the initial reporting, but the shopping centre declined to comment, according to the outlet’s account.

Why was the investigation report not released?

Following the initial reporting, the Liverpool ECHO requested the investigation report from Liverpool City Council through a Freedom of Information request. The council confirmed that releasing the document was not possible because the premises were subject to an ongoing investigation at that time.

A spokesperson from The Botanist told the Liverpool ECHO in January: “In January, we took the decision to voluntarily close our Liverpool ONE restaurant following alleged pest activity. Since that time, we have undertaken a number of proactive, corrective actions and reopened the restaurant a few days later. We have been in communication with EHO throughout and now look forward to welcoming them back for a follow-up inspection and an updated rating,” as reported by the Liverpool ECHO.

What is the latest hygiene rating and what has the operator said?

In the latest update provided to the Liverpool ECHO, a spokesperson for The Botanist confirmed that the restaurant has now received a four-star food hygiene rating following a recent visit from environmental health officers. The spokesperson said: “We are pleased to have received an updated 4-star food hygiene rating at our Liverpool ONE site, following a recent visit from the EHO. We take food hygiene and safety seriously and are committed to maintaining high standards across the restaurant,” according to the Liverpool ECHO.

The four-star rating indicates that hygiene standards are good under the Food Standards Agency’s scheme, which ranges from zero (urgent improvement necessary) to five (very good).

How does this compare with The Botanist’s other Liverpool site?

The Botanist also operates a venue at the Albert Dock, in the Britannia Pavilion in Liverpool. According to Food Standards Agency records cited in the Liverpool ECHO’s reporting, the Albert Dock site received a five-star rating after an inspection carried out on Sunday, January 22, 2026.

Background to the development

Food hygiene ratings in England are carried out by local authority environmental health teams under the Food Standards Agency’s framework, assessing how hygienically food is handled, the cleanliness and condition of premises, and how food safety is managed and recorded. A zero rating means urgent improvement is necessary, while a five indicates very good standards.

In this case, the January 2026 inspection at The Botanist’s Liverpool ONE site identified issues across all three assessed areas, prompting the operator to close the venue voluntarily to address the concerns, according to statements reported by the Liverpool ECHO. The council’s position that the premises were under ongoing investigation explains why the full inspection report could not be disclosed via Freedom of Information at that stage.

The subsequent four-star rating in August 2026 follows a reinspection after corrective actions were completed and reflects the operator’s engagement with environmental health officers during the remediation period, as outlined in the company’s statement to the Liverpool ECHO.

Prediction: how this development may affect diners and Liverpool ONE visitors

For diners and Liverpool ONE visitors, the move from a zero to a four-star rating is likely to restore confidence in The Botanist’s Liverpool ONE site, particularly among customers who check hygiene scores before choosing where to eat. The public nature of the initial rating and the subsequent update means the venue’s hygiene performance will remain visible to shoppers browsing the Food Standards Agency’s online register, potentially influencing footfall until the improved rating is widely noted.

For Liverpool ONE as a destination, the resolution reduces the risk of prolonged negative association between the shopping centre and food safety concerns, especially as the operator has now publicly reaffirmed its commitment to hygiene standards. However, the episode may encourage more visitors to verify hygiene ratings for other outlets within the complex, reinforcing the role of published scores in shaping consumer behaviour in city centre retail and leisure environments.