Geneva Express food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Darlington
Geneva Express holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 30 March 2026, 3 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: 84 Geneva Road, Darlington, DL1 4NJ
How it compares in Darlington
A 1 is rare: only 6 of 836 rated places in Darlington score this low, about one in 139. By contrast 90% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 755 | 90% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 48 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ← Geneva Express | |
| 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
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Geneva Express the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. 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 Geneva Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 378 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 November 2023 |
| Caterplus@Anchor-Mayflower Court Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 April 2025 |
| Broadway Daycare School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2026 |
| Amirah Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2023 |
| Cleveland Sports And Social Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2024 |
| B & H Chippy / B & H Punjabi Curry House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2025 |
| China China Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2026 |
| Classic Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2026 |
Questions about Geneva Express
What is Geneva Express's food hygiene rating?
Geneva Express has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Darlington Council on 30 March 2026.
Is Geneva Express safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 Geneva Express last inspected?
Geneva Express was last inspected on 30 March 2026, 3 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 Geneva Express?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Geneva Express compare to other places in Darlington?
90% of the 836 rated food businesses in Darlington hold the top rating of 5, while Geneva Express holds a 1. 6 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Darlington Council inspects Geneva Express 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 Geneva Express 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 Darlington, 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: Darlington
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 →