5

21st Century Herbs food hygiene rating

Retailers - other · Northumberland

21st Century Herbs holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 16 May 2023, more than 3 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 16 Market Street, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 3NU

How it compares in Northumberland

That puts 21st Century Herbs among the 2,775 places in Northumberland 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 Northumberland
5 out of 5 2,775 90% ← 21st Century Herbs
4 out of 5 214 7%
3 out of 5 67 2%
2 out of 5 7 <1%
1 out of 5 8 <1%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 393 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 21st Century Herbs 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 21st Century Herbs, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Little Mexico Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 9 yards away 5 - Very good 11 December 2025
Cilantro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 59 yards away 5 - Very good 29 January 2026
Hexham Community Centre Other catering premises 102 yards away 5 - Very good 9 October 2018
Refectory Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 111 yards away 5 - Very good 28 January 2025
Market Place Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 119 yards away 5 - Very good 8 July 2025
Grape Tree Retailers - other 124 yards away 5 - Very good 28 July 2025
Paxtons Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop 124 yards away 5 - Very good 28 November 2024
Hexham Sweetie Jar Retailers - other 130 yards away 5 - Very good 26 January 2024

Questions about 21st Century Herbs

What is 21st Century Herbs's food hygiene rating?

21st Century Herbs has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 16 May 2023.

Is 21st Century Herbs 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was 21st Century Herbs last inspected?

21st Century Herbs was last inspected on 16 May 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at 21st Century Herbs?

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

How does 21st Century Herbs compare to other places in Northumberland?

90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and 21st Century Herbs is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Northumberland Council inspects 21st Century Herbs 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 21st Century Herbs 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

21st Century Herbs is one of 169 rated food businesses in Hexham. See every hygiene rating in Hexham

Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland

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