Free The Way food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Durham
Free The Way holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the business 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 26 March 2025, 15 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: 37 Church Street, Seaham, SR7 7EJ
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so Free The Way sits behind roughly 3,086 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,086 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 684 | 17% | ← Free The Way | |
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- 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 Free The Way 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 Free The Way, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cipolla Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 29 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Heron Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Angus Butchers Manufacturers/packers | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Playdates CIC Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2025 |
| Foggins News Retailers - other | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| Memory Lane Pub/bar/nightclub | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2022 |
| Hat and Feathers Pub/bar/nightclub | 177 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
| Little Waves Day Nursery Caring Premises | 183 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
Questions about Free The Way
What is Free The Way's food hygiene rating?
Free The Way has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 26 March 2025.
Is Free The Way 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 business to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Free The Way last inspected?
Free The Way was last inspected on 26 March 2025, 15 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 Free The Way?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Free The Way compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while Free The Way holds a 4. 684 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Free The Way 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 Free The Way 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
Free The Way is one of 186 rated food businesses in Seaham. See every hygiene rating in Seaham →
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 →