The Hilltop food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
The Hilltop 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 16 February 2026, 4 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: The Hill Top East Street, East Stanley, DH9 0UE
How it compares in Durham
That puts The Hilltop among the 3,087 places in Durham holding top marks, 75% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ← The Hilltop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 682 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 25 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 512 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 Hilltop 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 Hilltop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sandwich Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 357 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2026 |
| Masefield News Retailers - other | 379 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 October 2024 |
| Bellissimos Pizza & Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 386 yards away | 4 - Good | 5 November 2024 |
| East Stanley School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2025 |
| Spar Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Bamboo House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 13 November 2025 |
| Premier - Dundee House Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2024 |
| Beamish Mary Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 4 - Good | 31 October 2024 |
Questions about The Hilltop
What is The Hilltop's food hygiene rating?
The Hilltop has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 16 February 2026.
Is The Hilltop 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 Hilltop last inspected?
The Hilltop was last inspected on 16 February 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hilltop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Hilltop compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and The Hilltop is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Hilltop 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 Hilltop and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,645 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.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 →