The Dip Shop food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Sunderland
The Dip Shop holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 31 July 2025, 11 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: 3, Maritime Street, Sunderland, SR1 3JQ
How it compares in Sunderland
A 1 is rare: only 23 of 1,946 rated places in Sunderland score this low, about one in 85. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,634 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 193 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 1% | ← The Dip Shop | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 365 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Dip Shop the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Dip Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best One Retailers - other | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2020 |
| Bakers Oven Manufacturers/packers | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2025 |
| Beehive Pub/bar/nightclub | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Arcadia Amusements Other catering premises | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 September 2017 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 191 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2018 |
| Batch'd Retailers - other | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 July 2023 |
| African Kitchen & Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 252 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2025 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 263 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 August 2018 |
Questions about The Dip Shop
What is The Dip Shop's food hygiene rating?
The Dip Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Sunderland Council on 31 July 2025.
Is The Dip Shop safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Dip Shop last inspected?
The Dip Shop was last inspected on 31 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sunderland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Dip Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Dip Shop compare to other places in Sunderland?
84% of the 1,946 rated food businesses in Sunderland hold the top rating of 5, while The Dip Shop holds a 1. 23 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sunderland Council inspects The Dip Shop 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 Dip Shop and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Sunderland, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Sunderland
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sunderland inspects and rates 2,311 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sunderland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sunderland.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 →