5

The Wheatsheaf food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Darlington

The Wheatsheaf holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 2 February 2025, 17 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.

Address: 254 Yarm Road, Darlington, DL1 1XN

How it compares in Darlington

That puts The Wheatsheaf among the 755 places in Darlington holding top marks, 90% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in Darlington
5 out of 5 755 90% ← The Wheatsheaf
4 out of 5 48 6%
3 out of 5 19 2%
2 out of 5 7 1%
1 out of 5 6 1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 79 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 The Wheatsheaf none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.

Food hygiene ratings nearby

The closest food businesses to The Wheatsheaf, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 267 yards away 5 - Very good 8 November 2023
Broadway Daycare School/college/university 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 6 March 2026
Booker Retailers - other 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 16 March 2026
Caterplus@Anchor-Mayflower Court Caring Premises 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 4 April 2025
B & H Chippy / B & H Punjabi Curry House Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 8 May 2025
China China Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 7 May 2026
Amirah Retailers - other 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 7 December 2023
Classic Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop 0.8 miles away 5 - Very good 11 March 2026

Questions about The Wheatsheaf

What is The Wheatsheaf's food hygiene rating?

The Wheatsheaf has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Darlington Council on 2 February 2025.

Is The Wheatsheaf safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was The Wheatsheaf last inspected?

The Wheatsheaf was last inspected on 2 February 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Darlington Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at The Wheatsheaf?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does The Wheatsheaf compare to other places in Darlington?

90% of the 836 rated food businesses in Darlington hold the top rating of 5, and The Wheatsheaf is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Darlington Council inspects The Wheatsheaf 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 The Wheatsheaf and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Darlington inspects and rates 915 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Darlington

The official record is held by the council: http://www.darlington.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 →