The Fox Hole food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Darlington
The Fox Hole 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 19 November 2025, 7 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: Piercebridge, Darlington, DL2 3SJ
How it compares in Darlington
In Darlington, 90% of rated places manage a 5, so The Fox Hole sits behind roughly 755 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 755 | 90% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 48 | 6% | ← The Fox Hole | |
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Fox Hole 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 Fox Hole, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piercebridge Farm Organics Retailers - other | 221 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 March 2026 |
| Sam Turners \& Sons Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 370 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 May 2025 |
| George Of Piercebridge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 11 March 2025 |
Questions about The Fox Hole
What is The Fox Hole's food hygiene rating?
The Fox Hole has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Darlington Council on 19 November 2025.
Is The Fox Hole 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 Fox Hole last inspected?
The Fox Hole was last inspected on 19 November 2025, 7 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 The Fox Hole?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 The Fox Hole compare to other places in Darlington?
90% of the 836 rated food businesses in Darlington hold the top rating of 5, while The Fox Hole holds a 4. 48 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Darlington Council inspects The Fox Hole 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 Fox Hole and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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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 →