The Cafe Under The Spire food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Gateshead
The Cafe Under The Spire holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 7 October 2025, 9 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: St Cuthberts House, Bensham Road, Bensham, NE8 1US
How it compares in Gateshead
In Gateshead, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so The Cafe Under The Spire sits behind roughly 1,170 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,170 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 197 | 14% | ← The Cafe Under The Spire | |
| 3 out of 5 | 58 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 202 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Cafe Under The Spire 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 Cafe Under The Spire, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alderwood Caring Premises | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2024 |
| A Bit Of A Mouthful Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
| 101 Regiment Royal Artillery Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2025 |
| A&C Bolton Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2025 |
| Anglo Pizza & Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2024 |
| Axis Beer Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2025 |
| Atom Bank Other catering premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2026 |
| alcohol affair new castle Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2025 |
Questions about The Cafe Under The Spire
What is The Cafe Under The Spire's food hygiene rating?
The Cafe Under The Spire has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Gateshead Council on 7 October 2025.
Is The Cafe Under The Spire safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Cafe Under The Spire last inspected?
The Cafe Under The Spire was last inspected on 7 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Gateshead Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cafe Under The Spire?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Cafe Under The Spire compare to other places in Gateshead?
81% of the 1,436 rated food businesses in Gateshead hold the top rating of 5, while The Cafe Under The Spire holds a 4. 197 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Gateshead Council inspects The Cafe Under The Spire 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 Cafe Under The Spire and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Cafe Under The Spire is one of 87 rated food businesses in Bensham. See every hygiene rating in Bensham →
Gateshead inspects and rates 1,638 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Gateshead →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.gateshead.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 →